Iridescent Wishes
by Doray
Summary: COMPLETE Merlock plans to cheer Sara up. They accidentally enter another dimension. Will they be able to find their way back? I have drawings of my original characters. Tell me via email or review if you want to see them. Thanks!
1. Beginning

  
**Chapter 1: Beginning**

The brightest face of the sun showed itself with the sapphire skies as its background. The beams of this certain source of light reached a window and penetrated through, illuminating the face of someone who was under the spell of sleep. The spell was broken, and Sara was awakened, not only because of the gleam that shone in her eyes, but also by the thought of the activities she needed to attend to for that day. She rubbed her eyes and rose, then proceeded to sit in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection. As things were always like on a normal Friday, she had to go to school, along with Flint and Tony. Yet she was bored, maybe even haunted, by the feeling that nothing new and interesting would happen. Nevertheless, she prepared herself as she usually does, then went out of her room.

"Good morning, sis!" came Tony's greeting upon seeing Sara.

Flint was too busily gulping pounds of food to notice anything.

Sara nodded and sat on a chair by the dining table, eyes fixed on her breakfast.

"Is everything okay?" asked Dr. Goodman.

"I'm not hungry," she replied, although she herself knew that it was not an appropriate answer.

There was momentary silence, disturbed only by a few soft "whoa's" from the time shifters who were watching a television program in the living room.

"I'll stay outside and wait for Tony and Flint," Sara said as she stood and picked her school things up. She walked towards the door and made her way out.

"What's up with her?" Dr. Goodman asked.

Tony shrugged, then continued to eat.

In school, Miss Iknow gave the students a 100-item quiz in Science, to be accomplished within thirty minutes. Flint just slept through it, Tony continuously tapped his foot against the floor to release his stress, while Sara tackled it in less than have the given time. When it was checked, Tony got a "C" and Sara a perfect score. Sara sighed.

"Why are things always like this?" Sara thought.

"Only a fool will complain if the odds are in his favor," she heard in her mind. Sara shook her head.

After school, Sara told Flint and Tony to go home ahead of her, claiming that she had something important to do.

Sara walked endlessly, letting her feet step wherever they could. She just stopped after for what seemed like hours. She found herself staring at the sea under the bridge where she was standing on. The peaceful blue liquid reflected many objects, including her own form. Her eyes lit up when a flying fish appeared, giving her hope.

"Are you alright?" came a familiar voice accompanied by a slight touch on her shoulder.

"Merlock! Don't you ever do that again!"

"Do what?" asked the vampire, looking at her face.

"Sorry, it's just me. You scared me," she replied, flashing a hint of a smile, making him blush.

"You're sad, aren't you, Sara?" said Merlock, his voice filled with concern.

"Life doesn't seem to work for me these days. I wish things were more . . . out of the ordinary," Sara said, her eyes meeting his.

"How about a visit to Mr. Albert Einstein?" suggested Merlock.

"Huh? How did you know that - "

"I'm always observing you, so I know that he is your favorite person of the past."

Sara's cheeks burned for a minute at the thought of Merlock keeping an eye, or both eyes, on her at all times.

"Well thanks, Merlock. But I think we need to ask permission from the bureau."

"I already did so."

"Wow, really! Thank you so much Merlock!" Sara exclaimed. She became so happy that she flung her arms around him and kissed his cheek. That action caused both of them to blush.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, trying to cover her red face.

"You don't have to be. Hey, why don't you do that again? Please Sara!" Merlock said, followed by a giggle.

Sara faked a glare, which did not have any impact on Merlock at all.

"Should we be off now, milady?" asked Merlock, offering her his arm.

"Sure," she answered as she eagerly took his arm.

They searched for a spot where they would not be seen easily. Merlock took out his time scooter. He mounted it, and Sara followed, wrapping her arms around his waist.

When they were in the middle of the time cycle, the vehicle began to rock.

"What's happening?" Sara asked.

"My scooter! It's not working properly! I'm losing control!" Merlock said.

"That doesn't sound like very good news."

"Sorry, Sara."

The scooter spun violently, making both of them extremely dizzy. Both felt the need to shout but they could not. Finally, consciousness left them.

"Sara! Sara!" Merlock said upon waking up. He was in a room whose floor, walls, and ceiling were fashioned out of glass. It was filled with multi-colored lights, which undoubtedly hurt his eyes.

"Here I am," responded Sara, who was at least two meters away from where he was.

He approached her and held her hands.

"I haven't any idea where we are, but I'll surely get us out of here," Merlock said, determined.

"Let's try to see what lies there," Sara said, pointing to a white door at a distance.

Merlock nodded.

The two young time travelers headed for the door very carefully, knowing that they were stepping on glass. When they were in front of the door, Merlock opened it and motioned for Sara to go through it before him.

"What brings you here in this place of harmony?" asked a guy, startling both of them. The person was about the same height as Merlock and his appearance was similar to a glass sculpture. His eyes were dark, and he wore a silver necklace with a pendant shaped like the letters "DH."

"Our names are -," Merlock said, but the stranger raised a palm.

"Your names are not my business. I am waiting for your answer to my question," the stranger said coldly.

"We didn't mean to be here and we want to go back to our world," Sara quickly answered without thinking.

"Ah, so where is that?" the guy inquired.

"Earth," Sara said.

"Well, you can definitely return to your beloved homeland, but the journey is no way going to be easy. The least I can do for you is to give you this," the stranger said, showing them a star-shaped piece of glass with a green gem in the middle.

"What is that?" Merlock asked.

"The key for you to get out of this place. But I am not certain where you will be after using it," the stranger said.

Merlock approached him to get the "key", but the stranger held on to it tightly in his fist.

"I will not let you have this for free. For this, you should give me that as an exchange," the stranger said, glancing at Merlock's cane.

Merlock looked at Sara, who only gave him a facial expression of uncertainty.

Merlock growled, then handed the guy his weapon.

"Okay then. This will open the trapdoor over there. Good luck," the guy said as he dropped the key on Merlock's hand, then he vanished out of sight.

"Do you think we can trust him?" Merlock asked Sara.

"As of now I can see no other option," Sara replied.

Merlock and Sara moved towards the direction where the stranger pointed at earlier, and felt a star-shaped hole on the floor. Merlock inserted the key into it. They felt the ground shaking. Merlock embraced Sara. Fireworks surrounded the whole area, and both of them were transported to another dimension.

Sara observed the new environment. It reminded her of fairy tale books where trees were so lush and flowers could be seen everywhere.

"Now where are we?" Merlock said.

Before she could reply, a guy appeared. His presence caused Merlock and Sara to look at each other and blush, for he had red eyes, blue skin, and long pink hair. A mixture of the physical features of Merlock and Sara. He was wearing a T-shirt with the letters "DH" imprinted on it.

"Welcome! How's the trip at Equilibria? So you met Cerville," the guy said.

"Who are you?" Sara asked.

"And who is Cerville?" Merlock added.

"Cerville's the guy who has the visage of glass. As for me, my name is Jascha," he answered.

"Our names are Sara and Merlock. Can you help us go back to where we came from?" Sara asked.

"Perhaps I may. But first, you need to answer one of my riddles or win a bet against me. For every wrong answer or for each bet where you won't win, you will stay an hour more and do everything I tell you to. Ready?" Jascha said.

"Okay," Merlock said.

"Follow me to my house," Jascha said, then they walked towards a cottage.

Jascha opened the door. Sara went through followed by Jascha, who shut the door at Merlock's face.

"Hey!" Merlock said, whose attempts to open the door were useless.

"Sit down and make yourself comfortable," Jascha said to Sara.

"Why didn't you let Merlock in?" Sara said with uneasiness in her tone of voice.

"Sorry," Jascha said, then he went to the door and opened it.

"Forgive me, did you wait for too long?" Jascha, wearing a silly smile, asked Merlock.

Merlock raised a fist. Of course the idea of Sara alone with another guy angered him.

"Merlock, don't!" Sara said.

"You better follow her advice, for you don't know with whom you are dealing with," Jascha said, then a little bolt of lightning formed in his left hand.

Merlock lowered his fist, calmed himself down, then sat beside Sara.

"Okay, first riddle. Spell nothing," said Jascha.

Merlock rolled his eyeballs and said, "N-o-t-h-i-n-g."

"Wrong answer. I am not asking you to spell any word! If you didn't speak, I might have given you the key out of here. But since you gave an incorrect answer, you must stay for an hour. In the meantime, make yourselves useful," Jascha said, tossing each of them a mop.

"This guy's getting on my nerves," Merlock whispered to Sara.

How's that for a start? Please review!


	2. Versus Jascha

Thanks for the nice reviews which motivated me to write more.

**Chapter 2: Versus Jascha**

Merlock and Sara stood and worked on their task. They were fortunate that the house was not so spacious, otherwise they would not be able to finish making the floors shine in a mere span of sixty minutes. Sitting on a chair with legs crossed was Jascha, grinning as his fingers played with his pink bangs. His crafty vermilion eyes never left the two persons.

"Maybe imagining that he is invisible will be of much aid, don't you think, Sara?" Merlock said softly.

"I suggest that you don't get rough with him," Sara replied in a whisper.

"And why is that?"

"Merlock, it's obvious that he isn't human and he doesn't appear to be vulnerable. This place is under his control. You know that yourself. So avoid being impulsive," said Sara, sounding like an experienced military official to a newly recruited soldier.

She received an undefined sigh from the vampire.

After ten minutes, Jascha suddenly got to his feet and rummaged through a cabinet. He shoved various objects rather violently and smiled upon seeing an empty basket. He took hold of the basket and made his exit without a word, leaving the other things scattered on the floor.

Merlock and Sara wondered about Jascha's actions, yet they continued to mop.

At the end of the hour Jascha entered the house.

"You better take a break," he said, motioning for Sara and Merlock to stop mopping and sit on the chairs by the dining table.

As Merlock and Sara sat, Jascha placed the basket at the center of the table. It was noticeably full of apples.

"Eat your fill," Jascha said.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Merlock, icily.

"Does that question need an answer?" came the reply.

"If I don't suspect something then I won't say anything at all," said Merlock.

"Don't worry, these fruits are not poisoned. And admit it, you are hungry," said Jascha, then he picked one up and bit into it.

"What's the next riddle?" went Sara's attempt to change the subject.

"Oh, that. I recommend that you consume at least one apple first because the next things I'll make you do will require a lot of your energy," Jascha replied.

"Are you trying to tell me that there's no way we can give a right answer?" Sara said sharply.

"Whoa! The temper's flaring up! I can sense sparks hitting my face," Jascha commented sarcastically.

"Actually it resembles a conflagration," Sara said with a smirk.

"Huh? Okay, I will make it easier for you. You have three chances to give me a puzzling question or to name a bet. If in case I can't answer your riddle or I lose a bet, I shall give you the key," Jascha said.

Sara glared at him, and then she took an apple and began to eat. She remarked that it was delicious. Merlock ate, too.

"I bet your parents' names are Sara and Merlock," Sara said.

Merlock was so surprised at her statement that he almost swallowed the whole apple he had in his hand. His face turned a bright shade of red.

Meanwhile, Jascha folded his arms on the table and his chin on them. He laughed aloud, causing some birds on the trees nearby to fly away.

"Sounds like you're truly desperate, Sara. Yeah, my mother's name is Sara, but she isn't you because she's an elf. My father's name is Charles, another elf. That would make me an elf as well. Not a vampire, but an elf," Jascha said, putting emphasis on each mention of the word "elf."

"And if you were our son, you would have some manners," Merlock said.

"In other words, I wasted my first chance," Sara said.

"Yes, so after finishing your apple, fix those," Jascha said as he pointed at the items strewn on the floor, "then fetch ten buckets of water from the well behind the house."

As they were drawing water from the well, Merlock jokingly said to Sara, "How dare you think of something like that!"

"Like what?"

"Us having a son."

"Oh, that. Must be, as Jascha said, out of desperation."

"You love me, don't you?" Merlock said, looking into her blue eyes.

She blushed and smiled, but did not say anything.

They were so tired upon accomplishing their task. They sat on the living room sofa. They could hear Jascha playing the flute while standing on the roof. The music he created soothed their souls, making them forget their exhaustion.

"Who would have known that he could play the flute so well?" said Merlock.

"Yes, the tune is indeed relaxing," agreed Sara.

Later, Jascha went into the house. He flipped his pink hair, then stared blankly at Merlock and Sara.

"You are a good flutist," Merlock said to him.

"That must mean that my mother taught me well. What you heard is an elfin folk song," he said, flashing a smile.

"I see. It has a pleasant melody," Sara said.

"Uh-huh. So what's the next riddle?" asked Jascha.

"All religions and all nations agree that there is only one thing between heaven and earth. What is it?" Merlock said.

"The word 'and'. Others would say that the answer is 'the horizon', but then you can't fool me with such tricks," replied Jascha.

"Another chance wasted!" Merlock blurted out.

"In a town called Sargas you cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg. Why so," came Jascha's riddle.

"Nobody there has a wooden leg," Merlock said.

"Nah. You cannot take a picture of a man with a wooden leg, but you can take a picture of a man with a camera. Get it? So, let's recap. You'll stay for two hours more, and you have only one chance left. I say you wash the windows and polish the furniture," Jascha said.

"It's getting unbearable. We must really think of something to outwit him," Sara said as her wet rag collided with the window.

"I trust you. He is cunning, but I believe you can match that with your cleverness," Merlock said.

"Thanks," she said.

"I will beat him at this game," Sara thought.

When an hour had already passed, Sara approached Jascha and said, "I bet you don't want us to be back in our home because you wish to have us as servants forever."

Jascha was astonished. His eyes widened twice their original size. If he said yes, then Sara would win the bet. If he responded that he had not so intended, then they could go free. He shook his head. He had to accept his defeat.

"Victory is yours, Sara. You impressed me," he said, finally.

"So can you give us the key now?" asked Sara.

"You must still stay for one hour as consequence for the riddle you did not answer earlier. Anyway, you can do whatever you like. You are no longer under my command," said Jascha.

Just then, the sound of a ringing telephone echoed throughout the house.

"Excuse me," Jascha said.

He took a circular-shaped device from his pocket and placed it near his ear. Merlock and Sara heard him utter a series of "Affirmatives."

"You!" Merlock shouted as he lunged at Jascha's back and held him tightly by the arms, making him drop the phone.

"What?" Jascha asked, shocked.

"There's someone behind all of these happenings. Who is he?" demanded Merlock firmly.

Jascha closed his eyes and refused to answer.

"When I ask a question, an answer is expected!" Merlock stressed, his anger felt in his voice.

Suddenly, particles of electricity formed in one of Jascha's hands. He aimed it at Merlock and released it. Merlock let go of Jascha and swiftly lay on his chest. The lightning bolt missed Sara by inches and landed on a spot on the wall, causing a large hole to form.

"Oops!" Jascha said then he covered his mouth.

His gaze, now fierce, bore through Merlock's eyes.

"I do not tolerate acts of violence against me. One more illegal move and you can anticipate your disintegration from the universe," Jascha said.

"Ugh. Pardon me!" Merlock yelled. He held Sara's hand then he led her out of the house.

"What do you think you were doing?" asked Sara as she pulled her hand from Merlock's grasp.

"Trying to solve the real mystery."

"Look Merlock, I want us to get back home in one piece," she said as she sat down on the grass.

"I'm sorry Sara. I simply wish to bring you back home immediately. Your family must be deeply worried," he said, sitting beside her.

"Thanks Merlock. I just don't want you to get hurt."

Together they watched as the sun disappeared in the west. Darkness started to unfold its curtains to cover the place. After a few minutes, stars began to cast their tiny glows in the sky. The moon shone, its silvery light spreading everywhere.

"It's wonderful," said Sara, resting her head on Merlock's shoulder.

"You are far more beautiful," he said as he stroked her hair.

Sara blushed, then wrapped her arms around him.

They lay on the grass and looked intently at the little twinkles of the firmament until they fell asleep.

"Rise and shine!" Jascha said, giving both of them a moderate shake.

Sara sat up, rubbed her eyes, and hid a yawn behind her hands. Merlock stretched his limbs then sat up.

"Good morni- um, I mean evening," Jascha said, simpering.

"You could have killed us when we were asleep," said Merlock.

"You could have eaten us as well," added Sara.

"Slow down! Even if I'm no human, I'm not a cannibal. I actually faint at the sight of blood! I don't see the need to do those things you mentioned. And I was not ordered to do so," replied Jascha.

"So you got a boss?" asked Sara.

Jascha did not speak anymore. Instead, he took a flower with petals whose hues are arranged as that of a rainbow from his pocket.

"Somewhere, a passageway shall open once touched by this flower," Jascha said.

He produced a flying skateboard out of nowhere. Riding on it, he left the place.

"So Sara, where do you think should we start?" asked Merlock.

"The wall!" exclaimed Sara.

"What wall?"

"The wall where his lightning power struck! Remember his reaction when he unintentionally hit that?'

"Well then, let's go there."

They rushed to the house and brought the flower near the wall. The flower emitted a few colorful rays.

"You're a genius, Sara!" Merlock said.

Sara just grabbed Merlock's arm and closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were on a windy knoll. The wispy clouds seem like they could be reached if an arm would be stretched upward. A village was visible downhill.

"This doesn't look like home," Merlock said.

"What surprised me is the fact that it's daytime here," she replied, tucking some stray strands behind her ears.

They walked to the village. There were so many people, each attending to their individual businesses.

"How do we find a key in here?" Merlock asked.

"Look for the letters 'DH'. Both Cerville and Jascha wore something that had them. I wonder what those two letters stand for. I was thinking, 'Die Humans'? But well then, I hope that's not the meaning" she said.

Merlock laughed.

They continued to observe the place, or the people. They tried to search for the keeper of the third key.

They came upon a tavern. Without giving it much thought, they entered. The place smelled of wine and mead. They were surprised at how young the people inside were. The oldest ones seemed to be about fourteen years old.

A girl waved at the waiter and yelled, "Hey swabbie! Give me another shot!"

Merlock and Sara was distracted that they examined her. She had wavy, dark violet hair that reached halfway down her back. Long eyelashes framed her pink eyes. Her face was red and had a foolish smile, undoubtedly effects of the wine she had been drinking. Her outfit was the same as the women of ancient Greece. On her leg was a golden anklet with a few beads and the letters "DH."

They approached her and told her about the key.

"Yeah, men. I used to take charge of the key ya talkin' 'bout, but I can't recall anythin' 'bout it at present. Ya hear me? Don't ya ever disturb me again!" she said, then she continued drinking her wine.

"What's your name?" asked Sara.

"I see no reason to introduce myself," she replied.

"Please. Then we won't bother you again," Sara said.

"It's Ylla. Contented, missy? Leave me alone!"

Sara and Merlock went out of the tavern.

"Why did you get her name?" asked Merlock.

"We can discover a lot out of it." Sara said.

That's the second chapter. Please review!


	3. Knowing Ylla

Thanks for the reviews.

**Chapter 3: Knowing Ylla**

A cool and fairly strong breeze continued to caress the whole town, refreshing everyone and making them forget the heat of the noontime sun. Sara and Merlock walked in search of a friendly face. Their hair danced to the direction of the blowing wind that they had to raise their hands to their heads often to prevent their strands from getting into wild disarrays.

They found a boy of about thirteen years old sitting on a bench while painting a breathtaking illustration of the knoll where they had been. He had seemingly kind cerulean eyes, brown hair, and a really captivating smile.

"Let's ask him. Being the artist that he is, it's possible that he knows everyone since he observes his environment pretty well," said Sara.

"I agree. And he looks approachable too," replied Merlock.

Together they came near to the young painter.

"Hello! This is Sara and I'm Merlock. Can we talk to you for a few minutes?" Merlock said.

The boy's eyebrows met. He appeared as if examining Merlock from head to toe, like a subject that he wished to make a portrait of. This was not a surprise to the vampire though, almost each person he got to meet had more or less the same reaction, and it must be because of his azure complexion. But then a sudden thought entered Merlock's mind. If there was truly someone behind all that occurred to Sara and him, then this boy probably had seen Jascha before and would not act that way. Yet he decided to shake off his brain those mental notes then, for the timing of their arrival was inappropriate.

"Um, of course you can speak to me. By the way, my name's Riakno," the boy replied with a warm smile after for what felt like a period of eternity.

"Do you know the girl named Ylla?" Sara asked.

"Pink orbs against walls of moonlight. That's her, isn't it so?" Riakno answered as he released his paintbrush gently and faced Sara with the intention of listening to her.

It took several seconds before Sara understood what Riakno said. She figured out that he referred to Ylla's eyes. These artists were surely unique in the way they describe things they encounter.

"Yeah I guess. And she drinks wine," she said.

"Oh there they go again," Riakno said.

"What do you mean?" asked Merlock.

"She only drowns herself in alcohol when they fight." Riakno replied.

"Who are 'they'?" asked Sara.

"Ylla and her boyfriend."

"Do you know where her boyfriend lives?" asked Sara.

"No, and he mysteriously disappears every time he and Ylla would have an argument. He would return after three days or so."

"How about Ylla? Where is her house located?" questioned Merlock.

"I'm sorry but my answer to that would be another 'no.' I often see her in the village but when the day ends she goes to the woods. Maybe she resides there," Riakno said as he pointed to a visible yet distant forest.

"Woods, wine, clothing of ancient Greece . . . wait a minute, that girl's Maenad!" exclaimed Merlock.

"What?" Sara and Riakno chorused.

"She is Maenad, not human. And, Sara, I think we can get her to seriously talk to us if we give her salt to eat," Merlock said with a smile lighting his features.

"Doesn't salt work only for zombies?" asked Riakno with a chuckle.

"Trust me on this. I'm a vampire, I have knowledge about most beings of legends, so I am confident about my plan," Merlock said.

"Okay, so where can we find salt, Riakno?" asked Sara.

"Let's go to my home and I'll give you some," Riakno replied, then he picked up his drawing items.

The three made their way to a small but neatly built brick house. Riakno went inside, and when he came out, he was carrying nothing but a small pouch filled with salt.

"Riakno, you indeed were a lot of help. Thanks," Merlock said.

The two eager travelers exchanged words of farewell with the amicable artist.

Merlock and Sara went back to the tavern. Ylla still sat where they left her earlier. They approached her and offered her the salt.

"Gee, my eternal gratitude," she said as she began to eat, and did not stop until the pouch was empty.

The redness of her face caused by the wine was replaced by a welcoming expression. Her eyes shone brightly and her smile was sincere. She touched her unruly curls, tying them into pigtails.

"What was your concern?" asked Ylla.

"The key that would bring us to another place," answered Sara.

"Well then, I cannot remember exactly where I left it. We better go now and look for it," Ylla said as she stood.

Ylla exited the tavern, followed by Sara and Merlock. They started a pilgrimage to the forest, led by Ylla. Once there, they did not halt hiking until they arrived in front of a cave surrounded by shrubs. Ylla sighed.

"I recall going to this cave yesterday thus maybe I accidentally dropped the key somewhere inside of it. But then it's very dark in there, so it would not be easy finding the key," said Ylla.

"We can solve that problem," Sara said as she kneeled, grabbed two dried branches from the ground, and rubbed them against each other with hopes of creating a torch.

"Let me do that for you," volunteered Merlock.

Half an hour passed before Merlock finally got the two pieces of wood to ignite and become useful sources of light. He gave one to Ylla and chose to hold the other one for him and Sara.

"Alright, let's get to work. The key looks like a miniature amphora," Ylla said.

As they stepped into the cave's embrace, crunching noises under their feet were audible and bats hovered over their heads, only to be frightened by the fire from the torches. They tried to make their torches go near every inch of the cave to shed light on their path as well as to see if the key was there.

After moments of searching, Merlock slipped.

"Are you okay?" asked Sara as she assisted him in getting to his feet.

"I'm fine, Sara. Don't worry," he said, blushing, then quickly added, "I felt something smooth and somewhat cylindrical under my right foot."

"Maybe that's the amphora," Sara replied, then she got the torch from Merlock.

Sara and Ylla inspected the area, moving their torches close to the ground.

"There it is! We found it," Ylla said as she held a red vase-like object with a pair of little handles at the sides.

She handed it to Sara. Ylla then took a capsule from her pocket. When she threw it, it became a scooter which resembled Merlock's, the only difference was that it was orange. She hopped on it and let go of her torch, whose life was extinguished as it hit the cave's floor.

"Bye and good luck," the Maenad called as she faded into the darkness.

A bizarre force was emitted by the amphora. The energy formed into a tornado of considerable size, and it engulfed Sara and Merlock.

The couple opened their eyes. They were within the vicinity of a court specially designed for sports. The sun seemed that it was due to set in a mere span of hours.

"Hi," came a voice.

They turned around and found themselves face to face with a guy. He had dark tan skin, violet eyes and green hair whose style was similar to that of Trunks of Dragon Ball Z. He was wearing jogging pants and a loose T-shirt with the letters "DH" on the left sleeve.

"Hello," said Sara.

The guy whistled as he ran a hand through his hair and went next to her.

"Hi, gorgeous. What's your sign?" he breathed into her ear as he placed a hand on Sara's waist.

"Hey!" Merlock said, pulling Sara towards him and away from the greenhead.

"I'm Konimu," the guy said as he raised a hand in an attempt to hold Sara's.

"Bloody hell! Get lost!" Merlock said to him.

"Why, you can't ask me to leave, unless you want to be stranded out here. And when I leave, I'll take the girl with me," Konimu said as he folded his arms on his chest and smiled.

"There's something familiar in his smile," Sara whispered to Merlock.

"Maybe you have met me before in your sweetest of dreams," Konimu said.

Sara blushed. It was not true that she dreamt of this guy, but then she did not expect that he would hear her words.

"No!" she protested. "Your smile. It was just like . . . Jascha's," she added. Her voice got softer at the last word.

"Excellent memory you got there, koishii. Yep, Jascha's my twin brother," Konimu said, making Sara blush slightly when he called her koishii (beloved).

"Don't you really know when to quit?" Merlock suddenly said, with fury in his tone of voice.

"Are you challenging me?" asked Konimu.

"In a way, yes. We need the key from you," replied Merlock without thinking.

"Simple. We'll have a sports competition. One on one. You against me. If you win, you get the key. If you lose, I get the girl. You choose what kind of sport we play. And don't ever think of committing acts of violence like you did with my brother. Or else," Konimu said with a smirk, a green ball of acid forming over his palm.

Merlock sighed and placed his hands on his hips. This elf was annoying him much more than his brother was able to do.

"Alright, I say we play basketball," said Merlock.

"Fine by me," replied Konimu.

There goes the third chapter! Please review!


	4. Against Konimu

Thank you very much for the reviews.

**Chapter 4: Against Konimu**

Merlock bowed his head, sighed, and cursed to himself. He knew he was taking too much risk. More than five years had passed since his hands came in contact with a basketball. But then, it was the only sport that he, together with his siblings, was able to learn. And, it was necessary for him to remember how to play the game. He would be doing it not only for the key, but also for Sara. His Sara, who was then standing at one corner of the court and leaning on the wall, with a very serious expression on her face. Certainly he did not want to visualize her with that violet-eyed flirt who was then spinning a ball on his finger. One could refer to Konimu's actions as showing off. Merlock's heart beat faster. He hated to admit it but Konimu's confident disposition seemed to show that he was endowed with great skill in the sport.

"Warm yourself up. The way to victory is ten points," Konimu said as he threw the ball to Merlock.

Merlock glared at him, then dribbled the ball in various styles. In his peripheral vision he saw Konimu performing a series of complicated hand gestures. Just then, people came rushing to the place. They sat on the chairs intended for spectators and produced a lot of noise. Merlock stopped dribbling for he noticed that his outfit was changed. Gone were the scarlet cape and blue clothes. His attire was then composed of a black sleeveless shirt, matching shorts, and rubber shoes. Just then, he felt like he was sinking to the ground. When he looked at his feet, he saw that the cemented floor transformed into small stones. He thought that if he were to run, he would surely stumble. Enraged, he let go of the ball, which bounced and caused a few stones to bounce as well.

"How do you suppose we can play basketball properly on an area like this?" he asked Konimu in a loud voice.

"I said you can choose the sport, but not the kind of environment where it would be played," replied Konimu with a grin.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Seeing that reaction of yours, I suggest you give up."

"Of course I won't! Let's begin."

"Referee!"

A cube-shaped and rather cute yellow robot about one-fourth of Merlock's height appeared, took the ball, and motioned for the two of them to position themselves in the middle of the court. It stood between them.

"Jump ball!" the robot shouted as he released the ball into the air.

Merlock easily grabbed the ball, but had extreme difficulty in dribbling the ball on the stony ground. Konimu then was able to snatch the ball and he effortlessly made his way and dunked it in the ring. The crowd roared.

It was Merlock's turn to handle the ball. He wondered how the elf did it so well. He tried to just stick the ball close to his chest. He jumped and threw the ball to the direction of the ring. Yet Konimu was successful in having it rebounded. And Konimu made a shot and got applause from the audience for the second time.

"4 – 0. Only three shots more and I'll be the winner," he said to Merlock.

Merlock was losing his patience. He could not figure out how he would be able to dribble the ball and run on the damn floor. He would be the one to hold the ball again. Memories started to flood his mind.

"_Merlock!" his sister yelled as she passed the ball to him._

"_Nice one, Harien!" he replied as he caught it._

"_Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Shoot it now!"_

"_Yeah," Merlock said as he made a shot from the three-point line._

"_Great! When I grow up, I want to be as good as you! No, I'll be better."_

"_Prove it, sis!"_

_The younger girl got the ball and attempted to dunk it. To Merlock's surprise, she was able to do it._

"_We'll become members of the most famous basketball team when we get older," she said as she smiled at her brother._

Merlock focused on the ball. He psyched himself that we would control it no matter what. He began to dribble the ball.

"Come on, Merlock, you can make it," he thought.

"Come on, Merlock, you can make it!" he heard.

He glanced where the sound came from and saw Sara continuously cheering for him. He blushed, yet he continued to dribble. Konimu blocked his path, but then Merlock dribbled between his legs, faked a shot, and with flawless speed, went past his opponent. He made a victorious lay-up shot. The watchers' eyes widened.

Then, it was Konimu's chance on the ball. Merlock raised his hands and tried to steal the ball. With agility he escaped Merlock's dares and for the third time, made the ball touch the inside of the basket.

"Oh crap," Merlock thought.

"_Oh crap!" Merlock heard, making him find the owner of the voice._

"_What's wrong Magore?" asked Merlock._

"_I can't make a good move today, bro. I guess this game doesn't work for me."_

"_Don't say that."_

"_All of you are wonderful players. You, Mieander, Mycroft, Mortmain, Muirouwe, and Harien. But me, I suck."_

"_Never degrade yourself. Someday you'll be good too. Just practice."_

"_You really think so?"_

"_Of course, bro, of course."_

"_Thanks," the little vampire replied, his eyes brightening._

"_Remember, don't give up."_

"Remember, don't give up," he said to himself. The ball was his again. And once more, he passed by Konimu and did a shot.

"Recap, 6 – 4," Konimu said, then added, "It's going to be my turn."

Indeed, it was Konimu's turn. And the elf had no plan of wasting it. He did not let Merlock go near the ball. He dribbled a bit then attempted a shot. The ball went through the basket, much to his liking.

"_Stop being too hard on me, Mieander!" Merlock said with a frown when his brother had grabbed the ball from him then shot it into the ring._

"_Why, even if I'm four years older than you, that doesn't matter in basketball. What you need to do is concentrate. Who knows, you might beat me one of these days," his eldest brother replied._

_Muirouwe, who was then observing his two brothers playing, laughed._

"_Now, what's so funny?" asked Merlock whose disappointment still shows in his face._

"_You. You lecture Magore and Harien yet you do not live by your words," answered Muirouwe._

"_Yeah, it's about time you truly kick your childish habits," agreed Mieander._

"_I recommend serious training," said Mortmain who just stepped into the scene._

"_Sign me up," piped a very exhausted-looking Mycroft._

"_Where have you been?" Mortmain asked Mycroft._

"_I played basketball at the public gym with my friends," replied Mycroft._

"_Aren't you tired already?" questioned Merlock._

"_Nope. I'm not the type of guy to be tired of making little brothers realize their foolishness," said Mycroft with a wink._

"_Oh yeah?" chorused Mortmain, Muirouwe, and Merlock._

"_That hit you too hard? Well then, get ready and see if you can win against me!" said Mycroft._

"_Sure I will!" said Merlock._

"Sure I will," thought Merlock as the bouncing ball pressed against his palms again. He must be careful because Konimu was lacking only one shot in order to win. Using his full speed, Merlock ignored Konimu and made an impressive slam dunk.

When it was Konimu's turn, Merlock felt that a strange energy possessed him. Without batting an eye, he managed to steal the ball from Konimu and made a jump shot.

"Score is 8 – 8," Merlock said to Konimu with a smirk.

The past events of playing basketball with his siblings and Sara totally trusting his abilities were inspiring Merlock. He did not worry anymore that it would be Konimu's turn again, or whether the ground was cemented or stony. He knew he would win this game, thanks to those persons who meant so much to him.

So when, Konimu tried to shoot the ball, a really determined Merlock hurried to the basket and made a rebound. He then ran fast to the other side of the court while dribbling the ball. Konimu was not able to keep up with his pace. Thus, Merlock dunked the ball again, shouting, "This is for Sara and my brothers and my sister!"

The game was over. It was signaled by the creepy sound created by the robot. The spectators clapped then left the court. The robot vanished from sight too. Merlock rejoiced by leaping into the air several times, yelling "Yeah!" all the while. Sara approached him and gave him a sweet smile.

"Thanks Merlock. Congratulations. I knew you could do it," she said.

"You're always welcome, my dear Sara. Thank you too, for believing in me," replied Merlock.

"You look great in those clothes," said Sara.

"Thank you. Oh, my muscles ache!" said Merlock, who was beginning to get wobbly knees.

"Don't sit down, the pain will be more unbearable," Sara replied. Not minding the sweat that covered him, she wrapped her arms around him to prevent him from losing his balance.

"So, that was a nice game. You are a worthy opponent," Konimu said, shaking Merlock's hand firmly. Looking at Sara, he added, "And quite a lucky man."

Sara glared at Konimu.

"The key," Merlock said coldly.

"Oh that. Here," Konimu said, giving Merlock a tiny wooden replica of a basketball.

"Thanks," replied Merlock.

"Just shoot it in the ring and off you go," Konimu said, then he rode on a flat bat-shaped flying vehicle and left.

Merlock threw the little ball to the ring. As it made its way to the ground, it glowed a brilliant shade of amber. Seconds later they felt themselves being transported to another location.

It was raining so hard in the new area that Sara and Merlock got totally soaked. Due to the raindrops they could not see anything clearly. The road seemed slippery so they had a silent agreement to wait for the rain to stop before making another move.

"Sara I feel sick," said Merlock, followed by coughs.

"We'll be able to get through this, Merlock. Hold on."

Yet deep inside, she was in panic. The vampire was exhausted from playing basketball then he got wet in the rain. Anyone would surely get sick in that situation. She tried to remain calm, but she couldn't.

"Help! Help us!" cried Sara.

Suddenly, they felt strong arms lifting them up and carrying them, perhaps towards a shelter from the rain. They looked and saw that the arms belonged to seven or more winged beings whose faces seemed so angelic. They were too awed to even say a single word to them. The creatures with wings brought them inside a crystalline building and dropped them gently on a blanket in front of a fireplace. The beings held one another's hands, forming a circle around both of them. The beings uttered a language they did not understand, and then their clothes were changed into dry ones whose design was the same as those worn by the beings. The material of their garments was translucent and pastel-colored. Merlock's was a lavender long-sleeved shirt, matching trousers, pointed shoes, and some fresh leaves were in his hair. As for Sara, she wore a yellow-green top with sleeves whose ends reach the elbows, a matching skirt whose hemline was above the knee, pointed shoes, and a headband with dainty and colorful flowers stuck to it.

"Thank you," Merlock and Sara said to the creatures.

Merlock coughed, triggering Sara to put her hand against his forehead to check his temperature.

"Merlock, you have a fever!" she said.

Before Merlock could reply, another being of the same sort entered the room. He was wearing a crown with the letters "DH" engraved on it. He had shoulder-length blue hair and round magenta eyes. Compared to the others, he was the shortest yet his wings had the most intricate pattern of hues.

"What do we have here?" he asked.

The other winged beings talked to him in their language.

"I see. My name is Hyacinth. Welcome to Faeries' Abode. You can stay for as long as you wish. If you need anything, don't hesitate to speak to me about it," he said to Sara and Merlock.

"Thank you so much. This is Merlock and I am Sara," Sara said.

"My friends here have reported that your companion is ill," Hyacinth said.

"Yes, sir. Can you help us?" replied Sara.

"Just call me Hyacinth, please. In answer to your inquiry, we have medicines here but I am unsure if they are effective on beings like you. I suggest that you just let him rest until he is in good condition again," said Hyacinth.

"You deserve our gratitude, Hyacinth," said Sara.

"Very well, I'll leave you now," replied Hyacinth, and then he made his way out of the room together with the other fairies.

"Sleep, Merlock. We'll ask him about the key once you get well," Sara whispered.

Merlock held her hands and kissed them, and then he closed his eyes. Sara closed her eyes too. They deserved a time to relax, after all.

The fire continued to cast its heat throughout the entire room, a symbol of the fairies' warmth of welcome.

So ends the fourth chapter. Please review!


	5. Alluring Reminiscences

I am grateful to those who reviewed.

**Chapter 5: Alluring Reminiscences**

Consciousness possessed Sara. She opened her eyes to a new day and saw Merlock peacefully sleeping at her side. Ever so tenderly she placed a hand on his forehead. His fever was not as bad as it was the day before, but then his state worried her. Yet, his appearance made her smile. He looked so handsome that Sara felt herself blushing as she looked at him. She touched his curls, delighting in their softness. She looked around and noticed that all that was left of the fire were cold gray ashes. She examined the crystal room and stood up to approach a window. She peered into it. There was no sign of the heavy raindrops that had hit the place a day ago. All that met her eyes were beautiful crystalline buildings outside. There were also flowery trees decorating the surroundings, and winged beings in activity were visible at a distance. She greatly enjoyed the sight of the soothing environment. Suddenly, her world turned black.

"Guess who," went the familiar voice of the owner of the palms which covered her eyes.

"Merlock," she replied.

"Correct," he said as he removed his hands from her face.

She turned, her gaze meeting his. He put his hands gently on her shoulders.

"This place is beautiful, isn't it?" said Merlock.

"Yes," she answered. "Hey, you should lie down and rest, Merlock! You're still sick."

Sara led him back to the blanket. He lay down and she knelt beside him.

"Love strengthens me," he said, making her blush.

He held her hands and slowly pulled her until their faces were centimeters apart. He closed his eyes and puckered his lips. Sara was surprised but then she admitted deep inside her heart that she also wanted to do this, to kiss him. So she prepared herself to surrender to him.

Just then, the sound of a knock on the door caused them to jerk away from each other and frown because their lips did not even get to meet. The door was then opened by Hyacinth, accompanied by a female winged being who was carrying a silver tray containing two bowls of soup, a small loaf of bread, a bunch of grapes, and a pair of large glasses of water.

"Good morning. Here's your breakfast," Hyacinth said, smiling, making his cheeks seem plumper than ever. He resembled a cherub.

"Thank you," both Sara and Merlock said as Hyacinth's companion gracefully walked towards them and placed the tray at their side.

"You are certainly welcome," Hyacinth replied, and then he left together with the other fairy, who closed the door.

Merlock sat up and picked up a bowl of soup. Sara took hers, too. They began to eat it with the bread.

"This is the most delicious soup I've ever tasted," Merlock said.

"I think so too. Whoever cooked this must be a true culinary arts expert. If they are to give us this kind of food everyday, you will be able to recover immediately," replied Sara.

They finished the soup to the last drop and the bread to the final crumb. They started to consume the grapes. They found out that the fresh little fruits were inexpressibly sweet, that they left nothing on the tray but the seeds.

After they drank water, Sara told Merlock to lie down again and use her lap as a pillow. Merlock did so and laughed.

"Why are you laughing?" asked Sara.

"You remind me of my mother. She treats me like a prince whenever I'm sick."

"Your mother? You make me curious. What is she like?"

"She has blonde hair, red eyes, and almost white skin. She can be strict, especially with grades, but then she lets me, my brothers and my sister do what we wish to. She sings with great skill. Her name is Angel," Merlock said, his eyes wandering.

"Grades? You mean you were all trained to earn straight A's in school?"

"Uh-huh. And when I became a member of the Bureau of Time and Space, she insisted that I continue my studies through an online school program. And that's exactly what I have not been attending to lately."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Merlock," said Sara, with concern in her tone of voice.

"Why?"

"It's my fault we ended up in this world. If it had not been for me, you would not be here."

"Sara, it's okay. My mother won't kill me for missing a few days of study."

"I hope so. Gosh, I wonder how many days I too have been absent in class!"

"I'm sure your family is doing their best to come up with reasons for your nonattendance. Better yet, we can anticipate that the bureau is on the lookout for us."

"It's unlikely that they'll find us though. I think we're in another dimension."

After that, silence filled the room for a moment.

"Tell me more about your family," said Sara, her eyes gleaming at the chance to know Merlock better.

"My father's name is Mark. He has light purple hair, like mine. His eyes are light green and his complexion is the same as my mother's. His unequaled sense of humor is highly valued in our family. But when he gets angry, everybody shudders."

"If I may ask, if both of your parents have fair skin, why is yours blue?"

"My father was once a human. He was turned into a vampire by my mother. When a human and a vampire have offspring, there is greater percentage that their children's complexion would be azure. I don't know the further explanation for that."

"Oh," was all Sara could say, then she decided to massage his shoulders as she listened to him.

Merlock went on, "My eldest brother is Mieander. As you will see, all our names begin with the letter "M". I'm fifteen now so that would make him . . . nineteen. He is a born leader and is truly dependable. He never loses his patience in teaching us. He has red hair, red eyes, and blue skin.

"My second brother's name is Mycroft. As of the present he is eighteen. He inherited our father's sense of humor. He loves writing stories and engaging in computer games. He has light purple hair, green eyes, and blue skin.

"The third brother is called Mortmain. He is seventeen years old. He likes to take care of little animals like lizards and spiders. He monitors them a lot and makes notes about his discoveries. He has blond hair, red eyes, and blue skin.

"The brother who came before I did is named Muirouwe. He is sixteen years of age now. He is really quiet. Even if we conduct parties, he just leans on the wall with his arms folded on his chest and his eyes partly closed. He once said to me that he could learn things better if he just observes. He will speak only if it's absolutely necessary. His appearance is the same as Mieander's, although Muirouwe's hair is much longer.

"The last two children in our family are fraternal boy-girl twins. They are both thirteen at present. The older one of the two is Magore. He has fair skin, orange hair, and freaky brown eyes. We refer to his eyes like that because none of our ancestors had brown eyes. He sings, and plays the instruments trumpet and guitar. As for my only sister, her name is Melissa Harien Angelica, and she prefers to be called Harien. She has blonde hair, light green eyes, fair skin, and retractable fangs. She paints, sings, and plays the piano. She tries her best to excel in all of her fields of expertise.

"All of us play basketball and know how to handle a particular weapon of choice.

"You know, I miss my family. The last time I've been at home is last Christmas."

"Vampires actually celebrate Christmas?" asked Sara.

"Yes, and most vampires were born on a Christmas Day, including my younger brother and sister."

"You are all interesting. How about you? What keeps you busy?"

"Thinking about you."

Sara's face became red. She let go of his shoulders.

"Sara," said Merlock as he sat, touching her cheek.

Before she could reply, his lips collided with hers in a warm kiss. It felt like hours had passed before he stopped.

"I love you Sara," he said, staring into her eyes.

"Merlock," she replied as she embraced him.

"Hmmm?" he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Thanks for everything you've done for me."

"Of course, I am willing to do more for you."

"I mean, I love you too."

They kissed again, this time passionately.

At noontime, Hyacinth alone came into the room to bring them food.

"Did you like your breakfast?" he asked.

"Best one I've had," answered Merlock.

"You make me glad. I cooked the soup myself."

Hyacinth gave them each a plate of steak and a glass of water.

"I hope you like this," Hyacinth said with a smile.

"Probably more than we can say," replied Sara.

"I also wish that Merlock will be in good condition tomorrow night. We will have one of our most-awaited festivals and I will appreciate it if you can attend."

"What will the festivity be exactly about?" asked Merlock.

"Astrid's Vanishing Day Phenomenon. There would be music, dancing, and the most appetizing delicacies."

"Thank you for inviting us," Sara said, even though she had no idea about the celebration.

Hyacinth nodded then he exited the room. The couple ate.

"We will be able to go. I think I'm feeling good already," said Merlock.

"I wonder what a fairy festival is like."

"Maybe we will be happy there. At least this world is not as frustrating as the previous ones."

"What do you think about the keepers of the keys?" asked Sara.

"They seem very young. Cerville, Jascha, Ylla, and Konimu look as if they are about thirteen or fourteen years old."

"Hyacinth appears younger, about ten to twelve at most," she replied, nodding.

"I really can't guess who is behind all of this. But we will win against him."

Sara just shrugged, then continued eating.

"How come we always seem to forget to ask Hyacinth about the key?" was a sudden thought which entered Sara's mind.

Later that night, when Merlock was asleep, Sara tiptoed her way out of the room. The bulbs lighting the halls were not yet turned off so she easily navigated through the area, searching for Hyacinth. No other winged beings came into view, so she concluded that they must be in slumber already. Just then, she heard music. She walked toward where the sound came from, ascending endless flights of spiral staircase. She found herself face to face with Hyacinth, who ceased playing the violin.

"Why are you here Sara?" the fairy asked.

"The tune of your instrument cast a spell on my spirit."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"You better go back to sleep."

"Right."

"Close your eyes."

She did so. Hyacinth mentioned words in a language she did not understand. When she opened her eyes, she realized that she was back in the room with Merlock.

"I failed to remember to ask him about the key again," she thought.

She could not comprehend how she did not recall about the key when she had a conversation with Hyacinth. But then, she felt so tired that she chose to be in the realm of dreams as for the time being.

You have read the entire fifth chapter. Please review!


	6. Astrid's Vanishing Day Phenomenon

My sincerest gratitude to those who reviewed. P.S. I apologize for the chapter title sucks.

**Chapter 6: Astrid's Vanishing Day Phenomenon**

Merlock found himself in a fantastic place full of buildings which were seemingly constructed out of precious gems. As he persistently passed through the area, he could not help but turn his head to every direction. He exceedingly admired what surrounded his path. He did not even stop to meditate regarding where he was. His walk led him to enter a room meant for discoing. At first, his head moved according to the tempo of the song he was hearing. Next his hands were in motion due to the said rhythm, and then his feet stepped in line with the beat. Soon, he was dancing wildly as if there would be no tomorrow. Later, it appeared as if the music was getting louder. Merlock decided to ignore it. The tune continued to be louder than it was before, until it became deafening. Merlock ceased dancing and covered his ears with his palms. He ran away from the dance floor, but the earsplitting sound was audible no matter where he went. There was nobody in sight to ask aid from. He shouted in horror.

"Merlock, wake up!" said Sara, patting him on the cheek.

Merlock opened his eyes. He realized that he had been dreaming. No, he had the worst of nightmares. He was fortunate that Sara was there to make it easier for him regain his senses. But then, the haunting melody was real. He guessed that a fairy band was playing nearby.

"What on earth got into you?" asked Sara with a concerned look on her features.

He sat up and informed her about his dream to the last detail.

"Nothing to worry about! What you had been hearing was the hymn of the festival. You see, there's a parade outside," a female fairy with long silver hair said, pointing at the window.

"Who are you?" Merlock asked her.

"Merlock, meet Elyssa. She has been present for more than half an hour," Sara said.

"Yes, and I'm here to assist you in preparing for Astrid's Vanishing Day Phenomenon," said Elyssa.

"How old are you?" asked Merlock.

"Eleven. But then, I am one of the few fairies who know how to communicate in your language. Thus, Hyacinth assigned me to lend you a hand since he had to lead the parade," replied Elyssa.

As Merlock and Sara ate their breakfast of pancakes with honey, Elyssa proceeded to tell them about the festival.

"Astrid's Vanishing Day Phenomenon is celebrated every March 21 to commemorate the mysterious loss of a young maiden named Astrid during the 1870's. Legend says that she was abducted by an ethereal young man who brought her to his home world, which exists in another century, without her consent. It may seem like a tragedy yet the happening brought a benefit. As part of the tradition, there is a parade, a banquet, and a ball at first. And the highlight of the event, which I referred to as the benefit, is the sending of letters to the past and the future," she said.

"Letters to the past and the future? How is that possible?" asked Sara.

"The boundary separating the components of time and space disappears. Therefore all one needs to do is wish in order for his or her letter to reach its destination."

"How? By Hyacinth's powers?" asked Merlock.

"No, it happens naturally. If I remember it right, there was a damage, caused by the man who kidnapped Astrid, to the delicate web of history which cannot in any way be fixed," replied Elyssa.

"Okay, this is how I understand it. Correct me if I got it wrong. During March 21, 1870-something, a girl known as Astrid was taken by a man who belonged to another part of history. In doing so, he was able to cross the limits of time and space. Since then, every March 21, there would be a particular gateway to the past and the future that would be accessible. Is that it?" said Sara.

"Right. You actually explained it better than I did," said Elyssa.

"What year is this?" Merlock suddenly asked.

"The start of the 25th century," answered Elyssa.

Merlock sighed at the conclusion that they could not send letters to the Bureau of Time and Space for they were in the same year as the bureau was.

"Can we mail letters to another world?" asked Merlock.

"I don't think so," said Elyssa.

Merlock groaned. There was no means that he and Sara could contact their friends about their current situation. He made his mind up that for the meantime, he would just focus on the festival. And the key. He wondered how he had almost forgotten about that only thing that would make them escape the Faeries' Abode.

After they had their morning meal, Elyssa guided them out of the crystalline palace and gave them a tour around the town. She greeted the other winged beings they saw along the way. Also, she mentioned a lot of data about every crystal establishment they encountered. The trip was giving Merlock the creeps, for the environment looked almost exactly the same as his . . . his nightmare. Yet, he dared not to say so, for he noticed that Sara was amused by their activity. Much to his relief, they returned to the palace at noontime. Elyssa led Merlock and Sara back to their room.

"I'll just meet you again in the afternoon," Elyssa said, and then she flew out of sight.

"Sara, remind me about the key later," Merlock said.

"Know what, last night I went to Hyacinth. But when I spoke to him, the thought of asking him about the key left my mind," replied Sara.

"This isn't good. It seems like he is controlling our brains."

"But we can't demand to be in his presence now. He is the leader of the fairies. And they are to hold a special festival tonight. He must be very busy."

"I reckon we will see him later. I hope we won't forget about the key."

By four o'clock pm, Elyssa arrived at their room.

"You need to get dressed. The festival's starting in hours!" said Elyssa.

Merlock and Sara felt as if there were invisible palms lifting them up. They were carried to separate bathrooms, each with a tub filled with perfumed water. In an instant, the clothes that they were wearing were gone. The unseen hands put each of them in the corresponding tub. Merlock and Sara were totally refreshed. Never had they experienced such an invigorating bath.

Then, after an hour, the bathrooms transformed. In place of the tubs were large cabinets of clothes with full-length mirrors. A voice seemed to say, "Take what you prefer." Merlock put on a crimson long-sleeved shirt with golden collar and cuffs, and matching pants and shoes. He did not know what made him pick up a few golden leaves and stick them in his hair, but then it felt right. Meanwhile, Sara selected a mint green off-shoulder gown with silver floral accents at the waist and hemline. She also wore matching shoes, a silver necklace with a crescent moon pendant, and a silver circlet on her head. Once Sara and Merlock finished marveling at their reflections, they were transported back to their room.

"You look beautiful, Sara," said Merlock as he approached her, and then held her right hand and kissed it.

Sara blushed at the handsome sight before her. She did not say anything, but instead she touched his cheek with her free hand, moving his face closer to hers. He grinned, surprising her. Without Sara expecting it, Merlock kissed her. She lost her balance because of his action, but his arms wrapped around her to prevent her from falling. She savored the irresistible feeling as their kiss deepened.

"Ahem," they heard, causing them to pull away from each other.

"We better go outside now," Elyssa, clad in a stylish yellow dress, said.

Merlock and Sara nodded and followed Elyssa's lead to a spacious public plaza.

The three, together with all the other fairies, witnessed the setting sun and the rise of the moon. Fireworks signaled the start of the celebration. The fairies cheered joyfully. Bright lights were turned on and musicians performed with their instruments. Almost everybody began to dance to the elegant tune, including Merlock and Sara. Elyssa also found a partner to dance with. Nearby, a huge table for the banquet was being set by male uniformed fairies. And on a throne not so far from the dance floor Hyacinth was seated, once in a while gesturing at his attendants.

Merlock and Sara looked into each other's eyes as they danced. They never seemed to notice the others around them. And they did not heed how many melodies had been played by the band and how many hours had already elapsed. It was like they found a lovely world of their own in each other's arms. Once in a while, Merlock would whisper sweet phrases into Sara's ear, making her giggle and blush.

"Yes, and you don't have to use hypnotism in order to have me kiss you," Sara said softly to him.

Just then, it dawned on Merlock that Hyacinth might be using hypnotism on them.

"Sara, thanks for reminding me about the key," he said as they walked to a corner to rest.

"Huh?" she asked.

"I mean, when you mentioned the word 'hypnotism', I had a sudden thought that it is what Hyacinth is doing to us. He is making us very happy in his realm so we would not leave this place," he replied.

They looked at the direction where Hyacinth was. The leader of the fairies was sitting on his throne with legs crossed and his chin on one of his fists. The innocence that his face used to convey was gone. Instead, he had an evil smirk gracing his lips.

"Okay, so what's your plan? We'll talk to Hyacinth now about the key?"

"Yes. Now and not a moment later," Merlock said.

Merlock and Sara made their way to Hyacinth's side.

"Hi! This is fun, isn't it? Wait until you see the main event!" Hyacinth said to them.

Merlock shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, but we need the key now."

"That is just so rude, don't you think? How dare you ask me for such a thing when I am delighting in the most sacred of festivals!" replied Hyacinth.

"We appreciate that you have welcomed us warmly and have invited us for the festival, but then we don't belong in this world," said Sara.

"And whoever told you that you don't? Did any of us act to make you feel out of place, huh? Haven't I given you more than you can ever wish for?" asked Hyacinth angrily, and then his eyes began to glow with intense power.

"We don't mean to be discourteous. It's just that we want to go back to our world," said Merlock.

"So, you ungrateful creatures!" Hyacinth said, his fierce gaze meeting Merlock's eyes.

Hyacinth's hypnotic powers caused Merlock's head to ache excruciatingly. Yet, the vampire knew he had to win against Hyacinth. Slowly, he tried to fight back with his own hypnotic powers. The other fairies stopped whatever they were up to and stared at what was happening, yet nobody risked to help Hyacinth or even move towards him. Merlock gathered all his hypnotic energy and hit Hyacinth's mind with it in full force. Hyacinth yelled. Exhausted, Merlock closed his eyes and was not able to see Hyacinth's unconscious body transforming into an ivory lyre. All that was left of him was the crown with the letters "DH". But, the two letters melted. The other fairies clapped their hands, much to the astonishment of Merlock and Sara.

"Thank you for defeating him. We have been under that wicked fairy's dreadful spell for years. Hyacinth was too powerful for all of us to beat," said Elyssa.

Elyssa came near the couple and took the lyre.

"This is the key you need. Listen to your heart and pluck the strings in order to produce the notes you hear," she said, handing the lyre to Sara.

"And this," she said as she wore the crown, "is mine."

"Thanks," Merlock and Sara said to Elyssa.

Merlock and Sara wandered away from the fairies. They struck the lyre strings in random order. The lyre was changed into a warp gate, which opened and sucked them in.

Merlock and Sara were brought to a dark corner of what seemed like a house. After several minutes, a lamp was turned on by a tall guy. He was wearing an outfit similar to those of ninjas, so his gray eyes were his only body parts which were observable. His belt had a buckle shaped like the letters "DH." Once he laid eyes on Merlock and Sara, he threw a net over their heads so that they could not go anywhere else.

"Who are you and what is your business here?" he asked in a very serious tone.

"She is Sara and I am Merlock. We do not mean to disturb you. We are only here for the key you are keeping," replied Merlock.

"I am not sure if what you said is true, but then I shall soon find out," the guy said as he removed the net covering the pair.

"By the way, my name is Goio and I'm thirteen years old," he said.

The sixth chapter ends right there! Please review!


	7. The Meaning of Truth

I really appreciate the reviews I got! Thanks guys!

**Chapter 7: The Meaning of Truth**

Carrying a lamp, Goio led Sara and Merlock down a timber staircase and into a large living room. The chairs and the center table were all intricately carved out of wood. The wall was of a dull xanthous color. Some portions of the wall contained sepia paintings of plants and cottages, giving it an ancient aura. The floor had a carpet with a red dragon design. When Goio put out his lamp's fire, the only thing that provided the place with light was a chandelier of candles suspended in the middle of the ceiling. A closed door was there as well. No other part of the house was visible from there, for the room seemed to be a solitary island floating in a sea of darkness.

"Stay put," Goio said sternly, motioning for Sara and Merlock to sit down, then he went into the shadows.

"Like the other keepers, Goio is not human," Merlock said.

"What made you deduce that?" asked Sara.

"No sound is produced by his footsteps," replied Merlock.

"So, what type of being is he?"

Before Merlock could answer, Goio returned. The gray-eyed held nothing else but a wooden box, which he put down on the center table. He opened it and took four darts in his right hand.

"Watch me," said Goio, causing Merlock and Sara to focus their attention on him.

Goio pressed his left palm against a wall. He stepped one foot backward, then positioned his right arm as if aiming at his left hand. He stretched his left arm, then slightly bent his torso backwards. He moved the fingers of his left hand until there are little spaces between each of them. He took a deep breath then shot the darts to the direction where his left hand was. A dart landed on the area between every finger, missing his flesh by micrometers.

"If your heart is pure and your words are true, harm will not come upon you," he said, removing the darts from the wall and storing them in the box.

"Do you mean you will test our honesty by making us place a hand on the wall, then you will be throwing darts? And then if a dart hits any part of our hands, you will say that we are not telling the truth?" Sara asked.

"Yours was a good guess, but then I shall not be the one to hurl darts. You need to toss darts to your own hand. And only one of you must do so," answered Goio as he folded his arms on his chest.

"That's downright ridiculous! One's integrity is not measured by how precise his aim is," she protested.

"If one is truthful, nothing should be bothering his conscience. Nothing must get in the way of his concentration. Therefore, he would not fail the test," replied Goio.

"What you said is merely your opinion," said Merlock.

Goio laughed aloud, his entire body shaking.

"Alright. You do not want to do what I instructed you to, thus you remain here. I shall not let you have the key," said Goio.

"You can't do this," Merlock said.

"Or so you think."

"You're unreasonable. You wear clothes of a ninja yet you don't act like one," said Merlock with a smirk.

"How dare you speak to me that way!" Goio said, once again picking up the darts.

Merlock posed for a fight as he realized that he would become the target of those darts.

"Stop!" Sara shouted as she stood between the two boys. "Goio, I'm willing to undergo the test."

"You're kidding," a wide-eyed Merlock said to her as he approached her and firmly laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm serious. Don't worry," she replied, touching the hand that was on her shoulder.

"Good. Well then, here you go," Goio said, handing the darts to Sara.

She quickly got the darts and pushed a hand onto the wall.

"Sara, please. I know you haven't done this in the past," Merlock said.

Sara ignored Merlock. She imitated the movements of Goio that she saw earlier when he did what she was about to do. But then, by the time she was on the moment of flinging the pointed objects at her skin, a knock on the door was heard.

"Sara, continue that later," Goio said as he turned the doorknob.

Merlock sighed with relief. Sara sat beside him. He bit his lip and with pressure ran a hand through her hair, almost hurting her. He did not say anything and his face was expressionless. Sara did not have the courage to mention any word to him as well.

Upon opening the door, Goio discovered that his visitor was a familiar boy with dark hair. Goio gestured that the boy enter the house and sit.

"What brings you here, Quergon?" questioned Goio.

"The thief is on the prowl again. This time, my diamond phoenix figurine was stolen," replied the boy.

"Of course he is! He has not been caught yet."

"But then he has been robbing the residents of their valuable heirlooms. Tonight, I was the victim. Since you are a skilled fighter, I believe you can help us."

"He hasn't taken anything from me so far. But once he does, I assure you that I'll hunt him down."

"Do you really have to wait until he walks off with something precious which belongs to you?"

"Quergon, calm down! I am a warrior. I do not attack anybody unless they commit a grave offense against me."

The conversation between Goio and Quergon was interminable for hours. Sara and Merlock were bored with Quergon droning unstoppably about the items that were taken by the thief since time immemorial and Goio trying to persuade Quergon that it would be alright. Also, Sara and Merlock were annoyed with Goio's attitude, the fact that the ninja did not introduce Quergon to them or vice versa. If he did so, they could at least join the dialogue, even casually, and would not be yawning beyond control.

Finally, Quergon nodded and stood. Goio gave him a thumbs-up sign. Quergon then exited through the door.

"You just perform the test tomorrow, okay? Damn, it is past midnight. I want to sleep now," Goio said to Sara as he took the darts from her.

"Okay, so where do Merlock and I spend the night?" asked Sara.

"I think the wooden sofa would be enough for you. After all, whoever told me that you can be trusted?" replied Goio, and then he swiftly left the living room.

"How rude. That vampire doesn't deserve to be addressed as one," said Merlock.

"Goio is a vampire? How sure are you?" Sara asked.

"I am pretty certain that my senses are not failing me," answered Merlock.

"I've got a hypothesis of my own."

"What do you mean?"

"I reckon Goio is the thief. I observed that he was not worried when his friend arrived with the bad news. A genuine warrior stands for what is just. Moreover, given the fact that his footsteps don't make a sound, add to that having vampire abilities, he will not be noticed whenever he steals. Also, his house is very dim. He must be hiding something, and that maybe is the reason why he wants us to sleep here instead of any other place. I bet he felt guilty after talking to Quergon that he suddenly wished to be alone," said Sara.

"It's rational," said Merlock, nodding.

"I wonder how we can have evidences for it."

"Search for the switches in this house?"

"What if there are none? What if all he has are candles and old lamps?"

"I'll reach for the candles of the chandelier."

Merlock mounted the center table and stretched his arms to grab a candle or so from the chandelier. As if on cue, the chandelier began to mysteriously swing from side to side, away from the extent of his fingers. He followed the movement by walking on the table, but then after a few minutes he lost balance and fell on the carpet.

"Ouch," he said.

"Merlock, are you okay?" asked Sara.

"I guess nothing is broken," he replied with a smile.

As he was getting to his feet, his elbow accidentally collided with the underside of the table. He was not hurt, but then it felt like he came in contact with a button. The darkness blessing the entirety of the house vanished and was replaced by white light from countless fluorescent bulbs.

"You did it, Merlock," Sara said, her eyes glowing.

"I am great," he said, running a hand through his lavender strands.

"Uh-huh. Now we explore this place," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Careful now, ninjas sleep with one eye open."

"Even vampire ninjas?"

"That . . . I don't know," he said, making Sara giggle.

The pair circled Goio's home and fumbled through his cabinets, finding out that they contained objects that were constructed out of rare metals and gems. They saw a diamond sculpture which looked like a bird with massive wings and a long tail.

"I think that's what Quergon spoke about earlier," said Sara.

"Behold. Goio, the ninja of truth. Or is he just a pathetic thief?" said Merlock.

"We now know that he is the thief!"

"We can't alarm the people now! It's bedtime."

Without them expecting it, Goio appeared and, for the second time, threw a net over their heads.

"Whoa, what do we have here? Ah of course, so you learned that I am the thief. You suppose that today you are winners? Well, I suggest you think again. I can wake the people of this village with a simple tug of a little lever. And because they suppose that I am a remarkable warrior, I can just tell them that you were the thieves. And when you entered my house earlier, you were bringing all of these objects with you," Goio said, pointing to the stolen items.

As he had threatened, he raised a curtain to reveal a lever. He pulled at it, and a loud noise, similar to that of the siren of a fire truck, sent the total population of the town to consciousness. They came rushing to Goio's house.

As Goio had planned, he started to narrate to the people about how he encountered and caught the two "thieves." He bragged that he must be honored as a hero, and proposed that the criminals be punished with death. The townsfolk cheered.

"Goio is lying!" exclaimed Sara at the top of her voice.

The people met her comment with insults. Hell, they really had faith in this ninja.

"I can prove my honesty!" she said, once more making an effort to get the attention of the people.

"Okay, if that is your wish before you die," Goio said with a smirk as he removed the net to release her, "Enjoy it, for it would be your last one."

Sara then ran to get the box of darts that was still on the center table in the living room. She took four darts out of the box.

"Goio says that one's honesty is tested by these darts, doesn't he?" asked Sara, glaring at the people.

She heard words of approval, which encouraged her further.

Once again, she put her hand against the wall. Hoping that she was doing it correctly, she breathed deeply as she moved slowly. The firm grasp of her right hand on the four darts loosened, and in a few seconds, the pointed things were flying their way to her left hand. Sara closed her eyes.

"She was not wounded! She is telling the truth!" cried the people.

"Huh?" thought Sara. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and saw that the each of the four darts was positioned perfectly between each finger.

"Goio should be penalized," the people chorused.

"I have been prevaricating all these time. Since you are now informed about it, I must perish," said Goio.

Without a signal, some men approached Goio with thick ropes to tie his limbs.

"Hold your horses, first I just have to give the keys to these two," Goio said.

Goio covered his eyes. In the instant that he removed his palms from his face, he held two gray objects the same size as his pupils.

"These are your tickets to the next world," he said, handing Sara and Merlock one of each contact lens.

Merlock looked up in attempt to meet Goio's eyes. It was surprising, or even shocking, that the real color of his eyes was brown. A hauntingly familiar shade of brown.

"Magore?" thought Merlock.

Just then, the keys began to glow. The last scene that they saw was that of Goio whose limbs were being tied, and whose face guard was taken off.

"Magore!" yelled Merlock, but only Sara was able to hear it.

They were transported to another dimension, one with a violet sky with blue tinge. The environment smelled of roses. When they looked around, they saw that the place was filled with roses of various colors.

"It was him, my younger brother Magore. What bothers me is that he was willing to do this to me, to us, to himself," said Merlock, sadly.

"I'm sorry," said Sara.

"You don't have to be. It's not your fault that Magore acted so . . . stupidly."

There was silence, disturbed only by the rustling of some leaves.

"That was brave of you, my dear Sara, to handle those darts. How did you do it?" said Merlock.

"I just convinced myself that I can do it," she replied with a smile.

Merlock, all of a sudden, embraced her tightly.

"I love you," he whispered.

Their sweet moment was interrupted by laughter. The voice was feminine. When they checked where it came from, they saw a girl on a flying broom, hovering above them. The color of her half pony-tailed hair was black with green highlights. She wore a short skirt and a baby tee. Her skin was brown and her eyes were like emeralds. Dangling on her left ear was an earring with the letters "DH."

"Heya," she said as her broom landed to the ground, "I am Jinni."

Seventh chapter is over! Please review!


	8. Jinni's Challenge

For those who had the kindness to give me reviews

From the bottom of my heart I surely thank you!

**Chapter 8: Jinni's Challenge**

Aside from the peculiar hue of the firmament which made it impossible for Merlock and Sara to guess the time of the day in the current dimension where they were in, what was notable about the place were the rose bushes. The roses came in a wide array of colors, such as red, blue, purple, green, yellow, white, pink, and others whose names were giving both of them difficulty to think about. The answers to the couple's inquiries might then be provided to them, though, for the seventh keeper of the key was already present. She introduced herself as Jinni, and one would identify her as a witch due to her flying broom. With a snap of her fingers, the said broom vanished. Jinni flicked some of her long hair strands over her shoulder, then she moved closer to Merlock and Sara.

"You must be Merlock," she said, cupping the vampire's chin with her palm.

"And Sara must be your name," said Jinni as she removed her hand from Merlock's face. She then planted a kiss on Sara's cheek.

Her actions caused Merlock and Sara to look at each other with questioning facial expressions, which Jinni noticed.

"I'm sorry. Both of you are really damn cute that I was not able to resist," said Jinni, smiling from ear to ear.

The young witch's statement was met with nothing more than the shrugging of the shoulders of Sara and Merlock.

"However, I think your outfits cannot be considered as proper in this place. Mind if I offer you a free makeover?" said Jinni.

"No, go ahead," replied Sara.

"Yes, please do. These garments are reminding me of dreadful experiences," added Merlock, referring to the habiliments that he and Sara had been wearing since Astrid's Vanishing Day Phenomenon.

"Alright, my pleasure," said Jinni.

Jinni chanted several words, which she accompanied by the rotating motions of her fingers. Sara's attire was transformed into a sleeveless aquamarine top with thin straps for the shoulder, a matching skirt that was at least four inches above her knees, and boots having the same color. As for Merlock, he was clad in an olive green shirt with no sleeves, a matching short whose length reached the ends of his kneecaps, and sneakers.

"There! You seem cuter than ever!" exclaimed Jinni, giggling.

"Um, thanks, but honestly I'm not into these type of clothes," said Sara.

"Well, honey, you'll just have to get used to them. Anyway, I reckon you're here for the key. Follow me now," replied Jinni.

Merlock and Sara walked to the direction where Jinni led them. Merlock stared at the sky and dragged his feet as he made his way. This went on until his foot accidentally collided with a pebble and he nearly stumbled. The two girls stopped and looked at him.

"Are you okay?" chorused Sara and Jinni.

"Don't worry about me. I just cannot erase from memory my brother who changed his name, disguised as a ninja, and was willing to perish when discovered to be a thief," answered Merlock.

"I assure you that Goio will be fine," said Jinni.

"How can you be certain? And while we're at it, I would like to inform you that his name is Magore!" said Merlock.

"You're asking why am I so sure? Well I just know how things happen and you should believe me! Get it? Now, let's go," answered the witch, in an imposing manner.

Merlock was a bit comforted by what Jinni mentioned, although he sensed something suspicious in her tone of voice. Yet, he decided to set his personal opinions aside for the time being.

The three of them continued to travel on foot until they came upon an entrance to a labyrinth.

"Here we are. All you have to do is to find your way out of the confusing passageways. But then, there is a little twist. In the course of the maze, you will encounter robots which will prevent you from going to another spot. In order for a robot to allow you to proceed, you have to give it a rose," Jinni said, then she quickly picked two flowers from each of the nearby bushes containing yellow, purple, and white roses.

Jinni handed the roses to Merlock and Sara, then she said, "Constraints? You must accomplish this within fifteen minutes or less, and no robots must explode. Once you enter, you cannot get out until the allotted period of time is over, unless you do so through the labyrinth's exit. Any questions?"

"What may cause those robots to break down?" asked Sara.

"Oh, you figure that out by yourselves. I'll fly up and see how fast you will succeed, if you will. Anyway, if you fail, you can try again for as many times as you wish to," replied Jinni, and then with a wave of her hand she made her broom and a stopwatch to appear.

Once suspended in the air with the aid of her broom, Jinni shouted, "Alright! Fifteen minutes starts now!"

Sara and Merlock swiftly stepped inside the labyrinth. Merlock grabbed Sara's hand, then together they ran to the right, then forward, then to the left.

"Why are you so confident about this?" asked Sara.

"I've been to six or so labyrinths before. They are all the same. Trust me, we'll be out of here in less than ten minutes," answered Merlock.

They rushed forward, and then to the west, where a cylindrical robot blocked their path. Without much thought, Merlock tossed a yellow rose to the robot. The mechanical piece of metal exploded without warning.

"Uh-oh," he said.

"Let's move on! At least we learned what yellow roses can do!" said Sara.

So, they headed to the left, to the north, then to the east, where a spherical robot served as an obstacle. This time, a white rose was used. And the effect was nothing better than the first.

"Okay, so white roses make robots explode as well!" said Merlock.

The couple passed through the area to the right, then to the north, then a long run up to the east, then south. Soon, a rectangular robot came as an obstruction, to which they threw a purple rose. Yet, the next event was similar to what occurred to the first two robots.

"What do we do now?" asked Merlock as they hurried to the right.

"Maybe there is a designated flower color for each different robot shape," replied Sara.

"Yeah, probably."

They dashed to the south, then to the west, then a few steps north, then to the left, where they found themselves face to face with a spherical robot. They tried a purple rose, but the robot exploded.

"Okay, thus each spherical robot needs a yellow rose," said Sara.

They moved toward the west, then south, then east, then north. A rectangular robot met them. They hurled a white rose at it. The robot twirled, and then it was gone. In its place were golden dust particles.

"Way to go! White roses are for rectangular robots!" exclaimed Merlock as they proceeded to the north.

"Therefore, purple roses are for cylindrical robots," agreed Sara.

They hasted to the right, then to the south, then to the left, then south, then finally east where they saw the labyrinth's exit, where a cylindrical robot stood.

"All we have is a single yellow rose!" said Sara.

"We have no option then. We'll just perform things perfectly during our next chance," Merlock said, then he flung the remaining rose at the robot, causing it to explode.

Jinni then approached them.

"Alright, you were able to navigate easily, but you blew up five robots so I may not hand you the key yet," Jinni said.

"May we have our second attempt now?" asked Merlock.

"Why, of course," replied Jinni, then she gave Sara and Merlock flowers from the plants having white, purple, and yellow roses.

Jinni uttered a spell. Sara and Merlock were enclosed in a large bubble and were blindfolded. The couple felt themselves soaring. When it seemed that they were on the ground already, the cloths covering their eyes became nonexistent. The bubble burst. Merlock and Sara were in front of the labyrinth's point of entry once again. Upon Jinni's signal, both of them skipped speedily through the maze and gave yellow roses to spherical robots, purple roses to cylindrical ones, and white roses to the rectangular in shape. Merlock and Sara effortlessly reached the end of the labyrinth. Jinni alighted in front of them.

"You're amazing! You did everything in five minutes and thirty-seven seconds," said Jinni.

"Can we have the key?" asked Sara.

"I shall give it to you if you drink this," the witch answered, handing each of them a bottle of flavored water.

"Thanks," Sara and Merlock said as they accepted the refreshments, then drank them to the last drop.

"Here you go," Jinni said as she gave Sara a sheathed dagger.

"You keep it, Merlock," Sara said.

Merlock took the dagger and put it in a side pocket of his shorts.

"Adieu!" called Jinni as she left on her broom.

Suddenly, the blue roses in the place emitted light so bright that Merlock and Sara closed their eyes. After a few minutes, they opened their eyes. They were back . . . in Equilibria.

"Oh, so you managed to make it to the last level," greeted Cerville.

"You mean, after we get another key from you, we shall be home?" asked Sara.

"Not from Cerville, but from me," replied a person who showed up beside Cerville.

The eighth keeper of the key wore a dark blue cloak and a mask which resembled the front part of a skull. Dangling on his side was a sword. The letters "DH" was nowhere to be seen on his form. Due to his style, nothing of his physical aspects could be observed except for his height. He stood two inches shorter than Cerville.

"I want you," the cloaked guy said as he pointed at Merlock, "to be my opponent in a serious duel. If you defeat me, the ultimate key will be yours."

Whew! Eighth chapter is finished! Please review!


	9. In the Heart of Equilibria

I published this a few hours after I posted the previous chapter. If there had been any reviews, thanks a lot. I am unsure for I haven't checked it yet. P.S. This chapter is told in Merlock's point of view.

**Chapter 9: In the Heart of Equilibria**

As Cerville and his companion led Sara and me to a battle arena, various thoughts filled my mind. Ever since the first time we arrived here, I had been pondering who the person behind all that happened could be. I had been thinking about what his purposes might be for doing this to me and to my dear Sara. Everything was going well in my life the time before we ended up in here. I mean, I was not able to remember anybody I encountered before who could be taking his revenge. I had always accomplished my missions in the Bureau of Time and Space and my family had been supportive. Oh well, I guess that made me think more than twice. Why would Magore work for someone who wanted to put me in the face of danger? If I had committed wrongdoings to my younger brother in the past, too bad I could not recall any. Oh, reflecting about so many matters could cause my head to ache. I would just try to prepare myself for a physical duel then. Quoting the cloaked guy, if I defeat him, Sara and I should be back home. Yet, what would be our fate if I lose? There was no mention of that. Also, who could this masked man be? One of my siblings again? That was unlikely, for his height was a few centimeters shorter than mine. My older brothers were much taller. Moreover, when I last saw Magore, I observed that he grew to be at least three inches taller than I was. As for Harien, I could not be sure at the moment. Could this cloaked guy be my sister? But then, even though Harien did well in martial arts, she had never been taught how to handle a sword. Oh, I had been meditating so much that I almost did not notice that we were already in a place where a vast stage was present. In Equilibria, that stage was the first thing I came upon that was not made of glass.

"Alright, Merlock, let's go," the cloaked guy said.

Suddenly, Sara brushed her lips against mine. Although I was not expecting it, it felt really comforting.

"For luck," she said. Without waiting for me to reply, she turned away and sat on a glass bench where she could watch us in action.

Cerville seated himself on the same bench where Sara was, as I and the other guy stepped on the stage. We positioned ourselves a few meters away from each other, yet face to face. The cloaked guy stretched his arms towards me and flexed his gloved fingers. Just then, my cane appeared in the air, before my very eyes. I took it without any hesitation. Then, the guy threw his cloak off. His outfit then consisted of a baggy dark blue shirt which was tucked in his long trousers of the same color, and a tight hood covered his head that no hair strand could be seen. He still had the mask on, and I couldn't help but wonder whose face it kept hidden. Yet, I would just have to focus on fighting him, and winning.

"You will be considered the winner if you were to confine me in a state where I cannot, by any means, defend myself. This need not be a fight to the death, especially if you wish for me to live long enough to be able to give you the key. I am warning you, I am not going to be kind," he told me.

I sensed something in his voice, most probably an emotion he attempted to suppress. But what it was, I had no idea.

"Fine," I said rather carelessly, then both of us posed for the beginning of a duel.

Upon Cerville's signal which indicated that we should start, my opponent unsheathed his sword and quickly rushed toward me with his weapon directed at my heart. I blocked it with my cane which I gripped at both ends. He did not stop pushing the sharp point in an endeavor to overpower my defensive move. I shoved my own weapon in utmost force to protect myself. Because of what I did, he lost balance and nearly fell on his back, if not for his sword which he reflexively thrust to the ground in order to maintain standing. He swiftly took a few steps away from me, while I pointed the ruby tip of my cane at him. I shot a fireball at his location, and he picked his sword up and dodged the flames by moving to his left.

"You're a better fighter than I thought," he said.

I responded to his statement with another fireball. This time, he held his sword in a vertical position and rotated it, extinguishing the fire. He ran with that damned weapon of his pointing toward me again. I aimed a series of fireballs to him until all I could see was fire. Several seconds passed and I did not witness even a shadow of my opponent. Just then, I got the feeling that I always get when something was about to fall on me. I looked above me, and was surprised when I saw my opponent with his blade about to hit my head. I kneeled, and prevented his weapon from getting near me by using my cane as a shield. The hooded guy landed on the ground on his feet, and his weapon barely missed my neck. I moved backward a little bit, then he followed, lunging his weapon. I allowed him to rush forward. When the precise moment came I struck his ankles with my cane. He tripped and dropped his weapon, and rapidly moved his body until he was in a sitting position. I stood before him with my cane's end a few inches apart from his face. Just then, he did an impressive somersault in order to escape my clutches. In the process, he kicked me hard on the chin. I fell to the floor.

"Is that everything you can do, Merlock Holmes?" were the infuriating words I heard from my opponent who was again holding his sword and pointing it at me.

I kicked the sword off his hands, then hurriedly reached for my cane. As he ran to retrieve his weapon, I shot loads of fire at him until I could no longer see his body. His pathetic voice was audible, though, for he was suffering from the heat.

"It appears that Merlock is gaining advantage. How about I provide him with a little distraction?" said Cerville, his icy voice loud enough for me to hear.

I ignored Cerville and did not even glance at him. I continued to fire at my opponent. I knew that one would not die if subjected to what I was doing, especially if the said person was not a human. And given the fact that all the previous keepers were not humans, it was likely that the masked person, who was now experiencing how it was to deal with me, was not human also. I showed no mercy as the red-orange warmth engulfed him. I wanted to burn the mask, to lay eyes on what was behind it. Just then, I heard weird sounds coming from the area where Cerville and Sara was.

I turned my head to check what was happening. Cerville had his shirt off. One of Cerville's hands held the back of Sara's head while the other was on her waist. His lips had captured hers, and he would not pull away even though her fists were punching his chest. Sara was powerless against Cerville. I would kill that guy for daring to touch my dearest Sara!

Forgetting the masked guy, I brought to a halt my scorching torture. I dashed to the direction of the scenario where my beloved needed my help. However, before I could be near to actually attack Cerville, the guy in the dark blue clothes emerged in front of me. Bloody hell, nothing of what he was wearing was affected by the fire. And he still seemed to be in perfect health.

"Where do you think you're going? We're not finished!" he said, raising the sword to my face.

My eyes glowed with anger as I brandished my cane against his sword. After that we engaged into a combat resembling that of two samurais, for I handled my cane like a sword. I had to remove this person from my path. My Sara couldn't wait for me forever, at least in her current situation.

I couldn't resist minding what Cerville was up to even though I had an opponent to take care of. I saw him planting kisses on Sara's face and nape, while his hands played against her delicate curves. She was using all her strength to push him away, but her efforts were not sufficient. And this kind of scene presented before my eyes was making me furious. Enough to erase Cerville's existence in this world.

The sword and the cane went on clashing into each other, yet none of them overcame the skill of the other. I learned that it would not be wise to use fire against this mysterious guy again, for fire didn't even harm him. It would be a waste of time. I had to plot up a plan. It was required of me to come to Sara's side as soon as possible!

Just then, I felt something inside my pocket. What could it be? The dagger that Jinni gave us. Why was it still here? The other keys have vanished after Sara and I were transported to another dimensions. Perhaps I could use this dagger . . . but how?

The battle between the masked guy and me was interminable. And so were Cerville's advances to Sara. In the corner of my eye I saw Cerville seeking to get rid of Sara's clothes. Once her top was ripped off, Sara stopped beating Cerville's chest. Instead, she folded her arms protectively on her upper body, for her thin undershirt was the only material left on it. Cerville licked her collarbone. With tears in her eyes, Sara screamed.

That was the last straw! I could not bear what Cerville was doing. In a flash, I passed between the legs of my opponent, accidentally dropping my cane as I did so. I hasted to Cerville while I pulled the dagger from its sheath. I grabbed him by the hair and without reluctance I plunged the sharp tool in his stomach.

Cerville did not bleed, but like the glass sculpture he resembled, he got broken into tiny pieces of glass. I embraced Sara as the slivers flew to all directions.

"It's okay now," I whispered to her ear.

She was continuously crying, but then I had to leave her side and win against the masked guy. I searched for my cane and took it upon finding it. I stood before my opponent once again.

"You saw how I made your friend perish! Now it's your turn!" I yelled.

This time, I used my full force in hitting him with my cane and I lunged forward whenever I could. His sword proved effective as a hindrance to my attacks, but then my strength caused him to move backwards. It was clear that I was on my way to triumph.

And fortunately, I was able to give him a tough blow on the head. The impact caused him to release his sword and to fall on his chest. Taking the best of opportunities, I pinned his arms to his back with great pressure. He tried one remaining tactic, which was to use his feet. I easily dodged his kicks. He persisted for several minutes.

"Just accept your downfall. You are lucky that I need something from you, otherwise I must have ended your life as well," I said.

Panting, he replied, "Alright, I lost! I shall hand you the key!"

"Good."

I permitted him to stand up. Out of thin air he produced a brooch shaped like the letters "DH." After I took the key, he disappeared.

I approached Sara, whose eyes were still filled with fluid.

"Don't be scared, milady. It's over. We shall be home," I said.

She did not say anything, but she flung her arms around me and buried her face in my chest.

Moments later we felt ourselves being transported to another place . . .

Yep, the ninth chapter is done! I admit that his had been the most challenging chapter to write. By the way, this is the second to the last chapter. I promise that everything will be explained in Chapter 10. Please review!


	10. Revelations

This is the final chapter of my story. I'm sorry it took me so long to come up with it.

A million thanks to the people who reviewed! I love you guys!

**Chapter 10: Revelations**

Merlock and Sara noticed that they were standing on an adequately lighted hallway where the floor and the ceiling were grayish in color, presumably constructed out of metal. Glancing at the glass windows which lined the walls, they saw the moon along with the starry indigo firmament. It was clear that it was nighttime in the new place they were in. To their dismay, it looked as if they were in an unknown dimension once again. Then, they heard footsteps which indicated that someone was walking toward them. After a few seconds, the said person arrived in front of them. He was a tall, thin man of dun hair and dark eyes. He seemed to be in his mid-twenties. He was wearing a collared shirt with long sleeves, and the letters "DH" were embroidered on the chest pocket of the said clothing. His white trousers matched the style of his shirt, making his outfit seem like a uniform of some sort.

"Congratulations. You passed the test," he said.

"What do you mean?" asked Sara.

"And who are you?" asked Merlock.

"I am James Oankh, chief of the organization known as Defenders of History. Both of you had been recommended by the Bureau of Time and Space for promotion. Before I may approve of Miss Jillian Grey's decision, I had to evaluate your performance first. I have assessed your capabilities and I am pleased with the outcome. You are now officially admitted as Time Questors of the DH," replied the man.

"You mean there exists a higher agency than the Bureau of Time and Space? And Sara and I are now members of it?" questioned Merlock.

"Exactly. Those people you have met as keepers of the keys are actually my best Time Questors as of the present. As for Cerville, he was nothing more than a trick played on your eyes," Chief Oankh answered.

Merlock and Sara smiled with relief at the chief's statement. Merlock did for he learned that Magore did not really wish to harm them. As for Sara, she had nothing to worry about for the man who made advances to her was only an illusion.

"And you were not even transported to other dimensions. You had just been at the quadrangle of the building. Most of the things you encountered were just three-dimensional drawings enhanced by a computer program. The other people aside from the keepers were their classmates. They hired them for a 'production.' The Time Questors erased their memory and brought them back home after paying them anyway," the chief said.

"How about the darts?" asked Sara.

"They were real," the chief replied with a grin.

"Whoa," was all Sara could say.

"Anyway, Sara, I think it would be nice if we go to the room where your family is. They had been watching both of you."

Sara just nodded. James Oankh led her and Merlock to an elevator. They headed for the fourth floor. After that, the chief accompanied them to a door found near the corner. The chief knocked gently, then he opened the door. What greeted their eyes were the forms of Doctor Goodman, Tony, Rocky, and Flint sitting on a sofa facing a huge screen. Hovering above their heads were Pterri and Getalong.

The three entered the room. Sara approached her family and in no time, they engaged in intense hugs.

"I'm so proud of you Sara," her uncle said.

"Yeah, you and Merlock are great!" Flint said.

Placing a hand on Merlock's shoulder, Doctor Goodman said, "You young man did a terrific job. Always take care of Sara, okay?"

"I will," replied Merlock.

"You're so lucky! You get to meet those guys and even work with them from now on," said Tony.

"Huh?" said Sara and Merlock.

"The guys who acted as keepers of the keys are some of the most popular celebrities! Don't you know that?" replied Tony.

"My brother's a what?" asked Merlock.

"You haven't got a clue? Not only him, but your sister as well. And their friends. Harien Holmes was your opponent in the imaginary place called Equilibria," Tony said.

"Alright, can you tell me how you figured out that it was her?" asked Merlock.

"The 'keepers of the keys' are the members of the totally cool band known as Gourmands. Since each one of them showed up already except Harien, I guessed that it was her," answered Tony.

"Oh," said Merlock.

"Yes, it was her," the chief agreed.

"Tony," Sara said with a smirk, "sometimes your words make sense."

"Hey!" said Tony.

James Oankh laughed, then said, "Why don't you just pay those kids a visit?"

"Sure! I must have their autographs!" said Tony.

"You go ahead. We'll wait here," said Doctor Goodman.

"Okay then," Chief Oankh said.

The chief guided Tony, Sara, and Merlock toward a flight of stairs then to a large room. As they were approaching, they saw Magore and Ylla competing with each other in a game of chess. Hyacinth was drawing an underwater scene on the door of a cabinet. Jinni was crocheting. Jascha was eating a sandwich while playing cards with Konimu. Also, an unfamiliar girl of about ten years old was reading a magazine.

"Relaxing?" the chief said, causing them to stop whatever they were doing and turn their heads where he was.

"Yes, the last mission was more difficult than we thought it would be," said the girl as she dropped her magazine on a table.

"Regardless of that, can your spare a minute to some people here who wish to see you?" Chief Oankh asked with a smile.

"Sure," the Time Questors replied.

"Hi. Harien said she just have to check out some things downstairs," said the little girl as she walked nearer to their visitors. Her straight green hair reached the back of her knees. She also had a pink wisp of hair covering half of her left eye. Her eyes had the same color as that of the evening sky outside. Her attire was composed of a black sleeveless top, a black skirt whose hemline was at her ankles, and black boots.

"I think I know you," said Merlock.

"Yep, you do! Actually you have met all of us before, when we stayed at the Holmes residence in Romania for a week, three years ago," replied the girl.

"Yeah, I remember you. You and my brother Mycroft were often together during that time. I reckon he was quite fond of you. But, forgive me, I can't recall your name," replied Merlock.

"No problem. I am Rockeleanna. Rockeleanna Nyeheku. Just call me Rockel," said the girl.

"Wow! You're the creator of the great video game, 'Gargoyles on the Ledge'?" asked Tony.

"Uh-huh. You play that?" answered Rockel.

"Yeah. I love that game," replied Tony.

"Nice. That means you are one of the people who make me earn lots of money!" she said with a giggle.

"Rockel is one of the Time Questors, too. Although she is only ten years old and the youngest, she has unmatched skill in working with the computer. She's the one who rendered the special effects in the 'dimensions' Merlock and Sara had been to. She also writes poetry," Chief Oankh said.

Rockel blushed, then said, "I believe you already know much about me. It's time to meet the others. Hey guys, come here one by one, in order of appearance in the test that we made Merlock and Sara undergo."

"That means I go next. Thank you very much sister. You've saved me from our brother," said Jascha.

"Kon, what have you been doing to Jomi?" Rockel asked Konimu.

"We've had fourteen rounds of poker and he hasn't won a single match yet. If you haven't called him, he would have lost for the fifteenth time," said Konimu, making everyone laugh.

With a sarcastic smile, Jascha tossed the cards he was holding to Konimu's face. Jascha then stood up.

"Hello Merlock, Sara, Tony," Jascha said, looking each person in the eye as he mentioned the names. They observed that Jascha was wearing a red fishnet shirt with the words "Taste Me" imprinted in white paint on it, matching shorts, and red shoes. On his neck hung a nylon string with a spherical blue pendant.

"You are the flutist and the male vocalist of the Gourmands band!" said Tony.

"I remember that necklace! It belongs to a boy who could not survive if he wouldn't eat every ten minutes!" said Merlock.

"Go bro!" shouted Konimu, causing Jascha to blush.

"Yes, Merlock, I guess I am that boy. My name is Jomi Nyeheku. Jascha is my middle name. As for my eating habits, let's just say that I'm a true blue gourmand."

"Jomi Nyeheku? The writer of the best-selling book entitled 'The Deux Ex Machina's Swan Song'?" asked Sara.

Jomi nodded then said, "Have you read that?"

"Not really. It's rated R-18," replied Sara.

"How dare they classify it as a material meant for adults! I'm only thirteen years old!" said Jomi.

"According to what I've heard, the story is brilliant, but it's overloaded with curse words," said Sara.

"As if those critics don't swear when they were younger," remarked Jomi, then he pouted childishly and folded his arms on his chest.

"I just realized this, Jomi, you are cute," said Merlock.

"Merlock, I think that's a very encouraging compliment for my brother. He has a major crush on Harien," Rockel said.

Merlock laughed. Jomi blushed severely.

"Does my sister know?" asked Merlock.

"I haven't told her personally yet," muttered Jomi.

"But practically, everybody is aware of it," said Rockel.

"It's okay. I think it's unlikely that she feels the same thing for you anyway," said Merlock, grinning.

"Ouch, Jomi, ouch," said Konimu, pretending to beat his heart with a fist.

"Harien and I are currently the best of friends," said Jomi.

"Ooh," said Merlock.

"Aside from having the ability to produce lightning, Jomi also handles the sword with great skill. He is actually the person who taught Harien how to fight using a sword. He is well-versed in history, and is an impressive tennis player," Chief Oankh said.

"Ah, from now on I should not underestimate you," said Merlock.

"Come over here, Geneva, while I still have the patience to keep Merlock alive," said Jomi, with his tone of voice trying to appear serious yet with the hint of a chuckle.

The girl who they knew as Ylla went to where Jomi was. She was wearing a chic pink dress and her hair was in braids. Meanwhile, Jomi sat on the floor near his brother.

"Hello, I am Geneva Ylla Jhuka. Just call me Geneva or Gene," she said.

"You're the one who play miscellaneous percussion instruments in your band! And you sing too!" said Tony.

"You're also a ballet dancer, right? I suddenly recall seeing your name in an announcement for a play," said Sara.

"Yes," said Geneva.

"Oh, I remember you. Muirouwe yelled at you when you were at our house! Do you know that it was truly our family's first time to see our quiet brother yelling like that?" said Merlock.

"Wow, then tell him I had the honor," replied Geneva, causing laughter to fill the place.

"What exactly was the reason why Muirouwe did that?" asked Merlock.

"I was practicing a certain tune on my xylophone. Unexpectedly, he drew closer to me and began a long speech narrating that he could not concentrate on what he was studying because of the sound coming from my instrument," answered Geneva.

"And he did so at the top of his voice. Sorry for that," said Merlock.

"Don't worry about it. As I've said, I had the honor," replied Geneva.

"As for Geneva, she is the math wizard and baseball player of the DH. She is the one who does the planning during missions. Her weapon is a magnifying glass that can emit laser beams," the chief said.

"Add to that the fact that she is Magore's girlfriend," said Rockel.

"So," Merlock said.

"They do look good together," remarked Tony, causing Geneva to blush.

"Alright, it's time you get to know Konimu now," said Geneva.

"As you say, pretty Geneva," said Konimu.

Konimu got to his feet. He was wearing a jacket over a shirt, pants, and shoes, all of which in varying shades of violet. Visible on his top were the words "Take a bite while I'm still hot." On his right ear was a round golden earring.

"The hip drummer and rapper of the band!" said Tony.

"Hi, I'm certain you all know my name," said Konimu.

"You mean 'Konimu' is not your middle name?" asked Merlock.

"Nope. Actually I was supposed to introduce myself as Jclyx earlier. But then, I always get distracted when a beautiful girl comes into sight," replied Konimu, turning his gaze to Sara.

"Get used to him. He flirts with every girl he encounters," said Rockel.

"No, you got that wrong, sis. I only adore the truly gorgeous ones," said Konimu.

"You have been to Romania before. I guess I've seen that earring," went Merlock's attempt to change the subject.

"Yes, I think Rockeleanna told you that all of us have been to your house already," replied Konimu.

"Let me think . . . you're the kid who fell off the stairs of our house! You did so more than eight times in one day!" exclaimed Merlock, then the room was enlivened with laughter.

"It's not my fault that marble is slippery!" protested Konimu.

"Just accept it bro! Ever since the day you were born, you have been prone to accidents," said Jomi.

"How dare you!" said Konimu.

"Look at his hair! We elves are not allowed to trim our hair for it symbolizes our long lives. Kon got his hair cut in an accident. Want me to elaborate?" said Jomi with a grin.

"Dammit, Jom! I'm begging you, don't!" said Konimu.

"Even though he is clumsy sometimes, Konimu is an outstanding archer. He plays soccer and he earns money by creating soap sculptures. And as you have seen, he can make balls of acid," Chief Oankh said.

"You play basketball too, right?" said Merlock.

"The lovely Harien taught me how, because according to her it is the only sport you play. You see, I was in charge of the sports part of the test. But I'm more active in soccer. I really like sports, for it's only when I'm playing that I don't get involved in an accident. If you want to, we can have a rematch," replied Konimu.

"One of these days," said Merlock, then Konimu mentioned for Hyacinth to come over.

Once there, Hyacinth waved his hand and showed his cherub's smile. He was wearing the same fairy clothes, but his wings were nowhere to be seen.

"He is the backup vocalist and violinist of the band," said Tony.

"Yes, and my name is Phil Hyacinth Clorika. Call me Phil," he said.

"How old are you?" asked Merlock.

"Eleven," replied Phil.

"Do you really have wings?" asked Sara.

"Yes, but at present they are tucked inside my back," answered Phil.

"Is there really such a thing as Astrid's Vanishing Day Phenomenon?" asked Sara.

"Yes, but then it's not celebrated," said Phil.

"You possess really strong hypnotic powers," said Merlock.

"Thanks. Actually I can kill using it. Remember Hallion?" replied Phil.

"Oh my . . . you mean you are . . . huh?" asked Merlock, his face a portrait of disbelief.

"The kid who defeated Hallion by spellbinding his mind," said Rockel, completing Merlock's sentence.

"Okay, Phil, you are added in the list of those persons with whom I shall be careful in interacting with," said Merlock.

"If I may ask, who is Hallion?" asked Sara.

"A rival of mine before," answered Merlock.

"To Merlock's disappointment, I was the one who overcame Hallion once and for all," said Phil, winking.

"Aside from being hypnotic, Phil is very talented in drawing. The surroundings in the 'dimensions' where you had been to were drawn by Phil. He also cooked the food you have eaten in the Faeries' Abode. He can also create clones of himself. A Phil clone is currently at the Goodman residence, guarding the time shifters," the chief said.

"Yet, no matter how cool he may be, Phil is the odd one out among us," said Rockel.

"And why?" asked Phil, indignantly.

"Gris was born on New Year's Day, Geneva on Valentine's Day, Jomi and Konimu on All Souls' Day, Harien and Magore on Christmas Day, I on April Fools' Day. As for Phil, his birthday is September 23," replied Rockel.

"Hey, the planet Neptune was discovered on a September 23!" said Phil.

"Yes, but then it's not celebrated," said Rockel, then she received everybody's laughter as a reply.

"Nice one sis!" commented Jomi.

"I hate it when my own words are used against me! But Rockeleanna, you rock," said Phil, then he called Magore.

"Hi! I am Goio Brynhild," said Magore, who was wearing a long-sleeved green shirt and dark green pants.

"Oh come on, Magore Holmes," said Merlock.

"Who is Goio Brynhild?" questioned Sara.

"A former member who betrayed the DH. During the test, I just used the name so you wouldn't know that it was me," replied Magore.

"Oh, and of course in your band you play the bass guitar and sing a bit. As for sports you play basketball. Your weapon is a cudgel," said Merlock.

"Yeah, I believe you said everything already," said Magore.

"There's something I want to know. What did you do to make yourself grow taller than I am?" asked Merlock.

"None. What happened to you that formed those arm muscles that you have?" said Magore.

"Nothing, really," replied Merlock.

"It's nice to see you bro," said Magore, then he and Merlock embraced.

There was a lasting silence. Several minutes had passed before Jinni was requested to come over. She was wearing a yellow tube top, a matching skirt, heeled shoes, and triangular-shaped earrings. Her hair was arranged in a half-ponytail style.

"The lead guitarist!" said Tony.

"That's correct, dear! And my name is Grizelda Jinni Mendaja. Call me Grizelda or Gris," she said.

"You're the famous girl with the green thumb?" asked Sara.

"I guess I get reasonable income from it. I really like plants," answered Grizelda.

"Were you the girl who helped my mother when she was losing hope because her hibiscus shrubs had not been bearing flowers for a month?" asked Merlock.

Grizelda nodded.

"Grizelda is a robotics expert. She also plays volleyball. She uses a whip as a weapon," the chief said.

"Now you know everyone!" said Rockel.

"Yes. Actually I remember hearing and seeing your names, but during that time I had no idea how you look like," said Sara.

"I just want to ask something. Is it true that no one of you is human?" asked Tony.

"Yes," chorused the young Time Questors.

"I prefer hiring them because this organization handles cases where the villains who disturb the delicate web of history are paranormal or supernatural beings as well," Chief Oankh said.

"You mean I am a fortunate human to be part of the DH?" said Sara.

"Yes, Sara, and that's because of your potentials," the chief replied.

Then, they heard a voice singing the words:

"So you'll keep me in your heart  
Promise me we'll never part  
I can only love you so much more  
'Cause you are all I'm living for  
And the only thing I'll do  
Is to give my love to you  
And forever you'll be in my heart  
The way I've always loved you from the start."

The owner of the voice made her way into the room. She had long, blonde hair and eyes as green as the sea. She was wearing a blue tank top and jeans.

"Hi guys! I just checked our mailbox. And guess what, I found an interesting invitation to a Devouring Wyvern Gala," she said to the Gourmands, making them shout expressions of merriment.

"Finally, a real festival!" said Phil.

"Hello, Harien!" said Merlock.

"Merlock!" replied Harien, then they hugged.

"How's my sister who is a basketball player, a keyboardist, a singer, an artist, and a martial arts expert?" asked Merlock.

"Perfectly fine, the injuries I obtained from our battle were all healed," she replied.

"Same here. But I did not know that it was you. You actually maneuvered the sword pretty well," replied Merlock.

"Oh, reserve those remarks for Jomi," said Harien.

"I believe you've become stronger than before," said Merlock.

"Let me tell you that I didn't have any sleep for a week. Anyway, none of the Gourmands did, for we needed the time to set everything up," said Harien.

"Are you trying to convince me that you are a better fighter than I am now?" asked Merlock, raising an eyebrow.

Harien replied, "Are you admitting that?"

"I guess I would like a similar competition between us to occur soon," said Merlock.

"Great suggestion! I shall prepare well for it," said Harien.

"That's a really nice song you were singing," said Merlock, changing the subject.

'Too bad I don't have anyone to dedicate it to," replied Harien.

Chief Oankh coughed. Rockel nudged Jomi with an elbow.

"Hey, did the chief already mention to you that the entire test lasted for only two hours?" asked Harien.

Sara and Merlock gasped.

"How were you guys able to make those two hours seem like days?" asked Merlock.

"Um, let's just say there existed a hero who helped us do that using his magic powers," replied Harien.

"That is not very clear," commented Merlock.

"Don't worry. You and Sara will eventually learn how we did that. Both of you will also find out about the true story behind Astrid's Vanishing Day Phenomenon, and the life of the notorious ex-TQ Goio Brynhild. Those are top secrets," said Harien.

"Add to that the real identity and age of James Oankh!" said Grizelda.

"Yes, that information too," said Harien, giggling.

"When may you tell us?" asked Sara.

"By the time I allow them to," Chief Oankh said, winking.

"Anyway we found out about those things without even intending to," said Harien.

"You mean by accident?" asked Sara.

"Yeah, when somebody over here was drunk," replied Harien, glancing at Konimu.

"Oh," said Sara.

"Anyway, here's a fact I'd like to share. Remember Cerville asking for Merlock's weapon in Equilibria? We just did that so you would not be able to attack anyone," said Harien.

"Okay, good point. How about my time scooter?" asked Merlock.

"It's right there, with no defects at all," said Harien, pointing to a corner of the room. Merlock shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey, did you guys went through a similar test before you were hired here in the DH?" said Merlock.

"Yes and no. Yes, there was a test. No, because we were truly transported to another places. Not ethereal dimensions, though, but other eras. And it lasted for weeks," answered Harien.

"Thanks to a specific Goio, it was dreadfully tough," added Magore.

"Well, I think you have known enough for now," said Harien, her eyes mischievously sparkling.

"I just noticed, Harien, your eyes are shaped like Merlock's," said Sara.

"They are, aren't they? Seeing that you love my brother so much, you are probably implying that I am good-looking. You yourself is a rare beauty," Harien said, making Sara blush.

"Hey Miss Harien, may I have your autograph as well as that of the others?" asked Tony.

"Certainly," said Harien.

After getting his precious notebook signed by the Gourmands, Tony went back to where his uncle was. Chief James Oankh proceeded to his office after the Gourmands and Rockel obtained his permission for them to attend the party. As for Merlock and Sara, they were just told to rest in that room. Wordlessly, they sat on a sofa and watched their new colleagues prepare themselves to paint the town red. Soon enough, Merlock and Sara were left alone.

Merlock said, "I still cannot imagine that everything happened in two hours."

Sara said, "Me too. It was a wonderful experience."

"I agree. We have an exciting job to look forward to."

"A different kind of lifestyle, perhaps."

"Yet, no matter what, we shall carry things out together, my beloved Sara."

"Yes, dearest Merlock."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

And their arms wrapped around each other's waists as their lips collided in a passionate kiss.

"So you'll keep me in your heart  
Promise me we'll never part  
I can only love you so much more  
'Cause you are all I'm living for  
And the only thing I'll do  
Is to give my love to you  
And forever you'll be in my heart  
The way I've always loved you from the start."

And that's it. Yeah, the end, people! Thanks in advance to those who will review!

_Author's Notes:_

I do not own Flint: the Time Detective.

The other characters are products of my imagination thus I own them and I have the right to use them in other stories.

It is mere coincidence if my fic resembles other stories out there, because I based my chapters on my personal experiences with a touch of my quirky ideas.

For all Merlock/Sara fans, I suggest you check out the FTTD romance fics I included in my "Favorite Stories" list. I assure you that those stories rock. And if I must really say this . . . Merlock and Sara forever!

**Doray**


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